


Danganronpa: The Truth of Fiction

by Loginator



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types
Genre: Dialogue Heavy, Drama, Fanfiction, Gen, LGBTQ Character, Murder Mystery, OC, Original Character Death(s), Original Character(s), Thriller
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-17
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-15 18:36:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 233,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28817904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Loginator/pseuds/Loginator
Summary: A danganronpa fanfic that takes place after V3, with an all-new cast of characters. They have all been trapped in yet another school, which was referred to as Hope's Peak Academy. However, just like the previous entries in the series, they cannot escape. All the students here will be trapped here for the rest of their lives, unless they graduate by killing another student. Who will be killed? Who will kill? Will anybody survive? Find out in this new entry in the Danganronpa series.Fanfic ProgressPrologue/Chapter 1: DoneChapter 1/2: DoneChapter 2/3: DoneChapter 3/4: DoneChapter 4/5: DoneChapter 5/6: In-ProgressChapter 6/7: Not StartedDiscord Server: https://discord.gg/TPUUVGj9fE





	1. How the Killing School Trip Began

The smell of flowers in the morning. The birds chirping. The fresh breeze of wind in the morning. All these different senses continued to put me into a deep sleep. Until suddenly, I heard someone calling out to me.

???: "Heyyy."

Thinking it was just a part of my dream, I continued to slumber in the grass. Until the voice called out to me again.

???: "Hey, wake up."

Frustrated by the sudden voice waking me up, I slowly opened my eyes. As my eyes opened, I around 17-18 years of age. His body was rather thin, lacking in muscle or fat. He had blue, spiky hair, sticking up as high as the sky. His face was rather feminine for a boy, but it was also kind of cute all the same.

???: "Oh, finally you are awake. I thought I had to sit here all day, trying to wake you up."

After my eyes opened, I began to lift my body of the ground. I started to look at my surroundings, only to see a place I have never been before. It looks like some sort of nature park with all kinds of flowers and trees. Picnic benches for people to eat were scattered all over. What is this place? I asked myself. How did I even get here? Soon, the boy began to reassure my thoughts with his voice.

???: "If you are confused my where we are, don't worry too much, because we all are."

"Wait, what do you mean 'we'? Also, who are you? What's your name?"

Enmei: "Oh sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Emnei Takada. Nice to meet you."

Sashi: "My name's Sashi Asuka. Nice to meet you too."

Enmei: "Also, by 'we', I mean all the other people here. I know you just woke up, so you are probably confused, but look behind the tree you are sitting by. You should see a group of teenagers just like us."

As I walked around the tree, following Emnei's instructions, sure enough, there were a group of people standing around in the park. They all looked around the same age as us. They all also had a different appearance in terms of body, face, hair, and general looks. I counted fourteen different people in total, half female, and half male.

???: "Another person?"

???: "Counting her, this makes sixteen people. A nice even number."

Sashi: "Who are you guys? What are you all doing here?"

???: "Well we are all teenagers just like you. As for why we are here, we have no idea. We all just woke up from this park, not knowing where the hell we are."

Sashi: "Wait, so did everyone experience the same thing as me?"

???: "Looks like that is the case."

???: "Does anybody have any ideas on how we got here? Maybe knowing how we got here will help us escape from here as soon as possible."

???: "You think maybe we were all kidnapped and brought here?"

Enmei: "That may be the case, but why would they bring us to a place like this? If this were for a ransom, I would expect whoever is behind this to bring us to some abandoned area, not some random park."

???: "I don't think this a normal park to be honest. If this were just some typical park in the city, we should have seen other people walking around."

Sashi: "Well I'm sure whatever the reason is, I'm sure we will be able to get out of here eventually."

???: "That will not be happening anytime soon."

Confused by the sudden voice, the teenagers all began looking at each other.

???: "Alright, who said that?"

But nobody answered. Everyone seemed equally puzzled by this voice. It seemed if the voice didn't even come from any of the teenagers here at all. We all stood silent, until suddenly, the voice came up again.

???: "I'm the one who said that."

As if on cue, a stuffed animal suddenly came out of the grass behind us. It seemed to resemble a puppy, albeit on that stands on two legs. It had white fur with black ears. I was in udder shock. Not just me, but everyone seemed too surprised for words. It was like something out of a fictional story. A talking stuffed puppy? How is that even possible?

Monopup: "Hello everyone. I am the person who will guiding you all today. I am Monopup. It's so nice to meet you all."

???: "WHAT THE FUUUUUCK!"

Monopup: "Hey that's not a very nice way to meet your new teacher. Also, swearing is not allowed on the school campus."

???: "Why is the stuffed animal talking?"

???: "Why is it even able to move around?"

Sashi: "Calm down everyone. I'm sure it is just a remote-control toy who happens to have a speaker inside."

Emnei: "School, campus?"

Monopup: "That's right. This is what I call Hope's Peak Academy. You are all students in this wonderful school. If you look around, you should see a bunch of buildings surrounding this park. These buildings are all a part of the school we are in."

???: "Students? I don't remember signing up to this school."

???: "Also, what was that about us not being able to leave anytime soon?"

Monopup: "Oh dear, silly me. You must have all forgotten coming here. I should not have even begun my speech without you knowing where you even are. Open your pockets. In there should be a tablet. This tablet is called a monopod. Every student gets a monopod specifically designed for you. Tap on the tablet, and all your questions will be answered."

Somewhat hesitant, I reached my hand inside my pocket and sure enough, there was a tablet inside. I took out the tablet and tapped it. The monopod turned on and out came my name Sashi Asuka. However, my name wasn't the only thing that appeared. It also said I was the Ultimate Actress. There were also different buttons for a map, rules, settings, and notes. At first, I was confused. I'm the Ultimate Actress? But then suddenly, my memories seem to flood back into my brain.

Now I remember. The reason I was called the Ultimate Actress. When I was a child, everyone adored me. My blue eyes, blond hair, and sweet, innocent personality won the hearts of many adults. My parents knew I was adorable, so they decided to make a profit on my cuteness. Soon, they signed me up for auditions all over the country. These auditions were for commercials in tv channels for young children, often showing me playing with advertised toys or sleeping or in a kid's bed. These advertisements were a massive success. Just having my face up on the tv screen was enough to convince parents to buy these products for their children.

At first, my parents only did this so they could score easy money, but they soon found out that I really enjoyed being up in the big screen. Once I got older and my cuteness began to fade, instead of my parents taking me away from my role as a child actor like they originally planned, they began to sign me up for bigger and bigger roles. First it was just cameoing in tv series, then I played supporting actors in low budget films, until finally I started to play major roles in big movies all throughout Japan. Not only did I have the natural talent to back it up, I really enjoyed doing what I do. I loved being inversed in a fictional world, acting as if I was actually inside this fictional universe. That is how I became known as the Ultimate Actress.

However, it seemed like I was not the only one who remembered their ultimate talents. It seemed like everyone had an ultimate talent of their own.

???: "Oh, now I remember."

???: "I completely forgot that I had a talent worthy of an Ultimate."

Monopup: "Good, it looks like all your memories are coming back to you now. However, I will say that I am not ready to give my opening speech yet. Let's see, it is about 3:00 in the afternoon. At around 6:00 PM, you should come to the gym to hear the opening ceremony. Until then, feel free to explore this school to your own discretion and introduce yourself to each other. Ten minutes before the ceremony will start, my face will appear on the monitors around this school. That is when you should head over to the gym. If you don't know where the gym is, look at the map on your monopod for directions. Well, goodbye everyone."

Sashi: "Wait, what about you saying that we won't be able to escape anytime soon?"

But it was too late, Monopop had disappeared as quickly as he had appeared. I began to worry intensely. What did Monopop mean by that? Are we going to be stuck here for an entire school year, or is it even longer than that?

After Monopup left his parting words, the rest of the students began to walk away from the park. They all began to explore the school, except three different students, who stayed at the park. One of the students was Emnei.

Sashi: "Emnei, you're not going to explore the rest of the school?"

Emnei: "No, not yet. I wanted to talk to you first if that's okay."

Sashi: "No, that's perfectly fine. In fact, I wanted to talk to you a bit more as well. First, what is your ultimate talent? It should have been listed on your monopod."

Emnei: "Yes, I do have an ultimate talent. It was listed on my monopod."

Sashi: "Then what is it? Come on, you can tell me."

Emnei: "Oh, okay. I want to but it's kind of embarrassing."

Sashi: "I don't care if it's embarrassing or not, I want to hear it. If it is really that embarrassing, I promise I won't tell anyone else."

Emnei: "Alright, my talent is the Ultimate Manga Writer."

Sashi: "Really, that's so cool! What kind of manga do you write?"

Emnei: "You don't think it's embarrassing or nerdy or whatever?"

Sashi: "Why would I think that? You must have an exceptionally low standard of me."

Emnei: "Oh sorry, I didn't mean it like that. It's just I don't like revealing my hobbies to other people in fear of being called a nerd."

Sashi: "Who cares what other people think? You shouldn't be afraid to reveal basic information about yourself to other people because of maybe one out of like fifteen people might call you a nerd. Personally, I don't think that necessarily makes you a nerd, at least not in a bad way."

Emnei: "Tha-Thank you."

Emnei seemed a little embarrassed when he thanked me. He must not get complimented that often.

Emnei: "Anyways, I write all kinds of manga of a variety of different genres. I write fantasy, action, mystery, sci-fi, and even yaoi manga."

Sashi: "Y-Y-Y-Y-Yaoi!"

Emnei: "Oh sorry that was just a joke. I was contemplating on whether or not I should actually say that. I should have just kept my mouth shut. That was crude of me. Sorry."

Sashi: "No, really, it's fine. I was just surprised to hear that from you of all people."

I laughed a bit as I spoke my words. Emnei started to laugh with me. As we spoke, all the tension of our situation began to ease away.

Sashi: "What's your must successful manga series."

Emnei: "I would have to say, Robo Justice is my most successful series."

Sashi: "Really, what's it about?"

Emnei: "It's about a robot from the future that goes back in time in order to become a lawyer. He then defends innocent clients to prevent the eventual destruction of the legal system and future executions that take place in the future he came from. It sounds really weird and stupid, and it kinda is, but for some reason it's my most successful series. Maybe it's lack of seriousness is a part of it's charm for many people."

Sashi: "That sounds amazing. I would love to read that series one day. If it's your most successful manga series, I'm surprised I never heard of it though."

Emnei: "That's not surprising though. Just because I'm called the Ultimate Manga Writer doesn't mean my manga are best-sellers. By the way, what's your ultimate talent."

Sashi: "I'm the Ultimate Actress."

Enmei: "That sounds like an amazing talent. It's certainly a much better talent than mine. I bet you have a lot of fans."

Sashi: "Yeah I do have a lot of fans. It's hard for me to even shop at the local grocery store without being surrounded by them."

Enmei: "That must get really annoying."

Sashi: "Yeah, it is sometimes, but I think just the fact I'm able to make so many people happy with my acting is enough to outweigh the negatives. I don't just do acting because I personally enjoy it, but because so many other people enjoy it as well. Just like how you get to make so many people happy with your manga."

Enmei: "I don't think movies and manga are on the same level but I guess we have some things in common. I do enjoy making manga in order to make other people happy."

Sashi: "We just started talking and we are already getting along great. I would like to say that we are already friends, and that we will become even bigger friends as time goes on."

Enmei: "You think so?"

Sashi: "I definitely think so, friend."

Enmei face began to form a bright smile. I smiled back at him. Just seeing him smile was enough to make me happy.

Friendship Fragments Obtained 1/6: Enmei

Sashi: "Alright no that we have introduced ourselves to each other, how about we go around the campus introducing ourselves to the rest of the students? However, there are still two other students in the park, so maybe we should talk to them first before walking around the campus."

Enmei: "Sounds good to me."

Enmei and I looked around the park until we saw a boy sitting with his back against a tree. He seemed to be reading some sort of book. He had straight, black hair that was combed to one side. His body was rather skinny, and he had a youthful, somewhat boyish looking face, but he looked to be above average in terms of height. He was wearing a dark blue hoodie and light blue jeans.

Sashi: "Hey, can I talk to you for a second?"

???: ..........

There was no answer. Confused, I tried to ask him again.

???: ...........

Sashi: "Hey, can I please talk to you for a second?"

There was still no answer. His focus seemed to be entirely on his book, not even remotely paying attention to his surroundings.

Sashi: "Why won't he answer me? I called to him, but he seems to be completely ignoring me."

Enmei: "Maybe he's just shy. How about I try talking to him instead. He might be more willing to speak to another boy."

???: ...........

Enmei: "Hi there. Since we don't know how long we are going to be stuck here, how about we introduce ourselves to each other? My name is Enmei Takada. Nice to meet you."

But no matter how much we tried, the boy refused to speak to us. All of his attention was purely on his book, not even making a glance at us. However, just as we were about to walk away...

???: “You just need my name right. Fine, I'll give you my name if you promise to leave me alone immediately afterwards. My name is Chimon Taniguichi.”

Sashi: "Oh, finally you responded. I thought you were completely ignoring me."

Chimon: "I was."

Sashi: "......."

Sashi: Well anyways my name is Sashi Asuka.

Chimon: "Didn't I tell you to leave me alone after I gave you my name. Why are you still here?"

Enmei: "We just wanted to get to know you better. We're doing the same with everyone else as well."

Chimon: "Well I'm not telling you shit, so get lost."

This guy is kind of an asshole.

Sashi: "Hey, can you at least tell us your ultimate talent before we leave. Considering we are students here, it might be important for everyone to know each other's ultimate talents. Come on, you can tell us."

Chimon: "....... Fine, I'll tell you."

Enmei: "Yes. See Sashi, I knew we could get through to him."

Sashi: "Okay, so what is your talent?"

Chimon: "Well the thing is, I don't think I have one. For some reason, my ultimate talent didn't show up on my monopod. If I do have one, I am at least not aware of it."

Sashi: "Hmmmm, how strange. I wonder why that's the case."

Chimon: "Don't know, don't really care."

Enmei: "It doesn't concern you that you don't have a talent unlike the rest of the students?"

Chimon: "Nope."

His answers are always so blunt.

Chimon: "I mean, it's not like it really matters that much in the long run."

Enmei: "I guess not."

Chimon: "Okay, I told you my ultimate talent, now can you kindly get out of my sight."

Sashi: "Alright, Chimon. But this isn't going to be our last conversation. I hope next time you are more willing to open up to us."

Chimon: "Don't get your hopes us. Because they will probably be shattered."

Enmei: "Alright Chimon, Goodbye for now."

Sashi: "Bye."

Chimon: "Yeah, yeah. Bye."

This guy is pretty rude and blunt. But, maybe there's more to him than we think. Hopefully, he will be able to open up to us at a later time. He might just be feeling grumpy due to the situation.

Friendship Fragments Obtained 1/6: Chimon

Sashi: "Okay now that he's out of the way, let's talk to the other person in this park. I know I saw them somewhere around here."

Emnei: "Hopefully the next person is a bit nicer."

As we walked around the park, we saw a girl sitting on a bench. She was rather small and petite in appearance. Her hair was reddish-brown and straight. It dropped a bit past her head on both sides, but only went to her eyes on the front. It was more like a bowl cut except with the front being somewhat cut off. She had a two-layered suit jacket, with a gray shirt underneath, and a red jacket on top. Her jacket was cut off on the middle, exposing the gray shirt underneath. She was also wearing a small dark skirt, barely reaching past her hips. Round, gray glasses were also worn on her face, showing a stereotypical nerdy look. She seemed to be writing something in her journal or notepad of sorts.

Sashi: "Hi, what's your name? My name is Sashi Asuka. This boy over here is Emnei Takada. We're happy to finally meet you, and we hope that we can become friends as soon as possible."

???: .........

The girl looked at us and gave a slight wave but went back to writing in her journal. Oh dear, not this again. I was hoping to find someone that could open to us more, but apparently that was a lost cause. However, as soon as she finished writing in her journal, she tore off a page and turned it into a crumpled-up pile of trash. Then she threw the trash ball at me. Confused, I unfolded the paper and saw some words written on it. On the paper were the words "My name is Tetsu Yanagi."

Sashi: "Umm, can you please talk to me in real words please? Conversations will take forever if I keep waiting for you to finish writing your words and throwing them over to me."

Enmei: "Shh, Sashi. She might have aphasia or something."

Sashi: "Aphasia?"

Enmei: "The inability to speak properly. You should try being a little more sensitive Sashi."

Sashi: "Oh sorry, I didn't know. Do you have aphasia Tetsu?"

Much to my surprise, Tetsu shook her head.

Enmei: "Wait, so you can talk then?"

Tetsu nodded her head. Wait, if she can talk, why won't she talk to us? Maybe it's some other disorder or health problem.

Sashi: "Do you have a speech impediment, or any speech issues in general?"

Tetsu also shook her head to my question. Why is she being so weird? If she can talk normally, then what's the issue? Is it really that difficult to talk to us? Is she like afraid of us for some reason?

Enmei: "Then why won't you talk to us?"

Tetsu seemed to be hesitant for a second, as if she didn't know what to do. She stood there for a while, not saying a word. However, she didn't write in her journal like last time. It seems like that was too personal of a question.

Enmei: "Okay, if you don't want to answer, that's fine. How about we ask a more basic question? What is your Ultimate Talent? You can write the answer if you want."

Tetsu started writing again, before tossing the paper to us again.

Enmei: "Ultimate Mathematician. Hey that's pretty neat. Kudos to you for taking a job that not very many other people would even bother with. I know I wouldn't. I can't stand math. What do you do as a mathematician?"

Tetsu tossed a paper at us again. On the paper were the words "It takes too long to answer that, only ask me simple questions please."

Sashi: "Okay, I guess that question was also too much."

This is like talking to a child who only knows a very limited amount of words, so they can only answer the simplest of questions. Of course, she probably can answer my questions, she just doesn't want to for some reason.

Enmei: "I'll try a more simple question then. What kind of hobbies do you have?

Tetsu tossed another paper ball at us. "My talent is my hobby."

Enmei: "Well at least that means that if you do end up pursuing being a mathematician as a career, you will able to enjoy it on top of having the talent to be really good at."

Math as a hobby? That sounds really strange to me, but who am I to judge. Maybe there's some person out there who doesn't understand why I enjoy acting. Who knows?

Before we could ask her another question, Tetsu threw another paper ball at us. "Can we stop talking for now? I want to be left alone."

Sashi: "Alright Tetsu, we'll leave you alone for now. But promise that we can talk some more next time. Okay?"

Enmei: "Goodbye Tetsu."

Tetsu gave a small wave before going back to writing in her journal.

That was the most awkward conversation I have ever had with a stranger; if you can even call that a conversation. Why won't she say anything to us? I've heard of shy people, but is it really possible to be so shy that you can't even say hello to someone? Well in any case, I also hope we can become friends at some point. Hopefully, we can get close enough to the point where she will actually start talking to me.

Friendship Fragments 1/6: Tetsu

Sashi: "Well those were some of the most difficult conversations I ever had in a long time. Chimon was rude and blunt, and Tetsu refused to say a word to us."

Enmei: "Maybe we might have more success with talking to the people outside the park."

Sashi: "I sure hope so."

Enmei and me soon headed out of the park, waiting to find some new people to talk to.

As we headed out of the park area, we soon saw a sidewalk that split into two paths. The left path lead to a big, square building. On the front of the building were the words "Gym". On the right path, there was a big gate in the way. On the other side of the gate were some more school buildings.

Emnei: "Hmm, the gate is locked tight. It's kind of strange though. It looks like there are other school buildings we could go to on the other side, but the gate won't even budge."

Sashi: "I wonder why there's a gate here. Maybe they don't want us near those buildings for some reason?"

Emnei: "Well anyways, it doesn't look like we can head through the gate, so let's try going to the gym instead."

Sashi: "Okay."

But just as we were heading in the other direction, we saw a girl running around the sidewalk. She had a long, red ponytail on the back of her head. She also wore a tan tank top and a brown skirt. The skirt had a button and two pockets, so it looked more like shorts except there was no space in the middle. There were also red and white tennis shoes that wore her feet. Her body type was skinny but slightly muscular.

Sashi: "Hey, can we talk to you for a second?"

???: "Sure. What do you want?"

Emnei: "We are going around introducing ourselves to the rest of the students in this academy. I'm Emnei Takada, the Ultimate Manga Writer."

Sashi: "And I'm Sashi Asuka, the Ultimate Actress. Nice to meet you."

Akina: "My name is Akina Kuroda. I'm the Ultimate Soccer Player."

Sashi: "Ultimate Soccer Player, huh. You do seem like the athletic type with you running around the school like that. Do you like playing soccer?"

Akina: "Before I answer your question, I just wanted to say something to get it out of the way. I'm a lesbian."

Sashi: "What!? You're just going to say that out of the blue like that!"

Akina: "Do you have a problem with that or something?"

Sashi: "No. I don't really care about who you are attracted to. It was just very unexpected to hear you say that. It's not something people typically say when they're first meeting someone. You don't care either, right, Emnei?"

Emnei: "Yeah, I don't mind either. You must have a lot of bravery to say that to a complete stranger though."

Akina: "I just feel like I have to say it to every person I meet because I don't want to hide it from anyone. Although, some people already assume it anyways due to my lack of girly hobbies."

Sashi: "That's too bad. People really shouldn't assume that about people just of how they act. To be honest, I was even thinking about you possibly liking girls until you said it."

Akina: "Anyways, about your question, yes, I really love playing soccer. It's one of those sports where there is constant action and running. It doesn't involve tons of waiting like baseball or have a lot of pauses."

Sashi: "I heard that it's really hard to score points in soccer. It's apparently not uncommon for major league games to end in a tie of zero points on each side. Is that true?"

Akina: "I guess, but definitely not when I'm playing. In almost every game I play, our team wins with a major advantage against the other team. When I'm on the field, I'm full offense, never stopping or slowing down. If you can't keep up with me, then you lose. It's as simple as that."

Enmei: "It sounds less like two teams playing against each other to win and more teams going against you."

Akina: "My teammates almost don't matter whenever I get to play. All of the opposing team's focus always has to be directly on me. If they look away from me from even a second, I score a point in the nick of an eye."

Sashi: "It sounds like you're so good that nothing is ever a challenge for you. I would think that would get boring though."

Akina: "Yeah it can get a bit too easy at times. That's why I can't wait to join the major leagues so I can finally have a challenge again."

Emnei: "Well it really seems like you are a very athletic and competitive person. That's like the complete opposite of me. I suck at playing sports and prefer more introverted activities."

Sashi: "Yeah, I'm also terrible at sports and any physical activity in general."

Akina: "Oh, so you happen to be one of those girls. I should have known it from the excessive makeup you were wearing."

Sashi: "Um, what are you talking about? What do you mean, 'One of those girls'?"

Akina: "Do I really have to spell it out for you? You are a fucking sissy."

Oh, here we go. Silly me for thinking I could actually have a normal conversation for once. Akina seemed like a completely normal girl at first, but of course this had to happen.

Sashi: "Sissyyy!"

Akina: "Oh are your feelings hurt because I said the truth. You are a goddamn sissy who only cares about how beautiful you look with all your fucking makeup. Let me guess, you are also a complete wuss who cries and whines all the time, because I know that's how women like you act like."

Emnei: "Hey, that's not very nice. Besides, you are a woman too. By your logic, doesn't that make you a sissy as well."

Akina: "Are you kidding me? I am nothing like most other women in this world. I don't obsess over fashion and looks or show my petty emotions all the goddamn time."

Sashi: "In other words, you hate women and consider yourself superior to the rest of them."

Akina: "Yep. I pretty much hate almost all women."

Considering the fact that she willingly out herself as a lesbian earlier, the fact that she hates women is kinda ironic. Of course, if I point out the lack of logic in her thought process, I will probably get punched in the face.

Sashi: "And by the way, I'm don't obsess over fashion and looks. I wear makeup because I want to, not because I need to look perfect. It's just an additive to my appearance, not a necessity. I also don't cry or whine all the time. I get emotional every once in a while, just like every other normal person. You're making assumptions about me based on harmful stereotypes."

Akina: "Just because they're stereotypes doesn't mean they are not true."

Emnei: "Okay we get it, you hate women including Sashi because you believe in stupid stereotypes. But what about me? Am I excluded from your hatred just because I'm a guy and not a girl?"

Akina: "I don't know, you seem kind of like a bitch too. Your feminine face and lack of muscle gives me the idea that you a total sissy. You don't look or act like a man at all. If you were a true male, you would have agreed with me and not stood up for Sashi like that."

So she's not only sexist against women, but men as well. This one's a real charmer.

Sashi: "Okay well, goodbye. I hope you have a better attitude the next time we talk."

Akina: "Later bitches."

Akina immediately started running around the school again. I really hope there's a good reason for why she thinks the way she does. There has to be more to her than what we just saw. However, until she really changes her attitude, I don't think I we can really be friends.

Friendship Fragments 1/6: Akina

After that not-so pleasant conversation, me and Emnei continued walking along the sidewalk towards the gym. As well entered the big glass doors in front of the gym, a large hallway greeted us. On the right side of the hallway were two doors that had male and female signs on them respectively. As I looked through one of the doors, I saw large rows of lockers as well as a bathroom in the back of the room. There were also showers lined up along the back.

Sashi: "These must be the locker rooms."

Emnei: "Ugh. Seeing all this reminds me of how much I hated gym class. I hate doing physical activity, but the locker rooms were the absolute worst part."

Sashi: "What, do you not like changing in front of other people or something."

Emnei: "Yeah, I hated that everyone else was bigger, hairier, and more muscular than me. It was a constant reminder that I was physically behind everyone else. Every time I changed my clothes, I was worried that someone would make fun of me due to my skinny body."

Sashi: "I'm sorry you had to deal with that. It must have been hard."

Emnei: "Yeah, it was."

On the left side of the hallway, there were all sorts of awards and trophies for school sports. These awards and trophies were all inside a glass case. On the front of the hallway, there were doors to the gym. Standing just outside the gym doors was another student. The student was huge and very muscular. He had dark skin and a bald head. He wore a brown long-sleeved shirt and big white shorts. His entire appearance was intimating. He looked like a street thug who would beat you up at a moment's notice. Although a bit hesitant, I called out to him.

Sashi: "Hey, what are you doing?"

???: "I'm just waiting outside the gym until the announcement goes off."

Sashi: "You're not going to explore the rest of the school."

???: "Hell no! There's no way I'm going to be stuck here so I don't see any reason to."

Emnei: "What makes you so sure that you aren't going to be stuck here?"

???: "Because it's obviously either a prank or a kidnapping for ransom. I bet you by the time of the ceremony starts, it will either be revealed as a joke or the cops will come. This has to be staged. There's no way that the people behind this were able to capture SIXTEEN teenagers who all happened to have ultimate talents and bring them to some random school without anybody on the outside knowing or caring. If this were real, it would be all over the news."

Sashi: "I hope you're right. Anyways, how about we introduce ourselves to each other? I'm Sashi Asuka, the Ultimate Actress."

Enmei: "And I'm Emnei, the Ultimate Manga Writer."

Renjiro: "The name's Renjiro Hara. My talent is the Ultimate Bodybuilder."

Sashi: "Well you definitely got the body to be a bodybuilder."

Renjiro: "Yep. I trained this body since I was around twelve or so until it became what it is today."

Emnei: "What is it like being a bodybuilder?"

Renjiro: "Well there's a lot of pressure in it. You have to constantly strive to become better. You have to workout every single day without rest or else your body will weaken. Perseverance in necessary in order to maintain your body."

Sashi: "Sounds like hard work."

Renjiro: "Yeah it is, but that is what makes winning in competitions more satisfying for me. I love looking myself in the mirror and saying 'I created this body with nothing more than my hard work and persistence' is what makes it enjoyable for me."

Emnei: "But can you even earn a life-savings just by winning bodybuilding competitions."

Renjiro: "You can if you are good enough. As long as I will be able to be as good or even better than I am right now for a good chunk of my life, my future is settled."

Enmei: "Well it's good that you already know what you are going to do in the future. If you are truly happy doing what you do, then you will able to live a happy life."

Renjiro: "Y-y-y-yeah, you're right."

Huh, what was up with Renjiro's response there? Was there something wrong with what Emnei said? Does he have something to hide?

Renjiro: "By the way, Emnei. Your body is kinda skinny. You look like you need to gain some more muscle. How about I be your personal trainer? By the time you're done with me, you will look like a completely different person. Don't worry, I won't be too hard on you."

Emnei: "Thanks for the offer, but I'm fine with the way I look."

Renjiro: "Alright. But if you ever change your mind, let me know."

Emnei: "I'll keep that in mind."

Sashi: "Well goodbye for now Renjiro."

Emnei: "I hope we can talk again soon."

Renjiro: "Yep. Meet you at the gym."

When I first saw Renjiro, he seemed like a very scary guy. But now that we are talking to him, he seems like a nice guy who is nothing like his appearance would suggest. Anyways, I hope we can become friends soon.

Friendship Fragments 1/6: Renjiro

Sashi: "Alright lets head inside the gym and see if there's anybody inside."

As we headed inside the gym, we saw an expansive rectangular room with rows of seats on both sides. On the front and back of the gym, there were two basketball courts each. In front of one of these courts was another student. He was tossing a basketball into a hoop before grabbing it and trying it again. He wore gray, baggy pants and a green tank top. His hair was a green mohawk, and he had a small goatee and beard line on the bottom of his face. Silver rings pierced through his ears. He looked like a stereotypical delinquent as much as humanly possible. His body was muscular but not as ripped as Renjiro.

Sashi: "Hey can we talk for a second."

???: "Can't you see I'm busy, bitch!"

This is already off to a great start.

Sashi: "Hey, that's not a very nice way to greet someone! I just want for us to introduce ourselves to each other."

???: "Well I'm not saying shit to you, so fuck off!"

Emnei: "Why are you being like this? We just want to talk to you for like two minutes."

???: "Don't talk back to me, faggot!"

I just met this dude, and I already hate his guts.

Emnei: "What? Faggot!"

???: "Yeah you know that only faggots and sissies dye their hair like that. I can tell just by looking at you that you are a total bitch."

Emnei start to get a bit teary-eyed, clearly hurt by the insults, before quickly hiding his face with his hands. It was as if he was trying to hide the fact that he was crying.

Sashi: "Look at what you did, you asshole! You made him cry! By the way, you have dyed hair as well, so you have no right to call him a bitch!"

???: "It's not my fault that he's a total bitch who cries at even the slightest of insult! By the way, I dyed my hair green, which is a manly color rather than a fag color like blue!"

But isn't blue usually considered a boy color?

???: "Now will you bitches fuck off and leave me be!"

Just as we were about to leave, a loud voice echoed throughout the gym.

???: "THAT'S ENOUGH DORYO!!!"

Surprised by the sudden exclamation, me and Emnei suddenly turned our heads to the source of the sound. As we looked around, we saw yet another student who was sitting on one of the bench seats. His appearance surprised me for a second, he was absolutely massive. He looked to be well over six foot in height and had a big, hairy, and muscular body. He had long, disheveled, and brown hair and a heavy beard. He wore a black and gray vest as well as black pants that looked to be several years old with tons of holes in them. He also had big, black boots on his feet. He looked like a mountain man who was in his late twenties at least, not an ordinary teenager.

???: "Sorry about that guys, Doryo can be a real douchebag sometimes. Okay maybe not sometimes, he's pretty much like that all the time. Sorry I didn't say anything sooner, I just didn't want to pick a fight. Looked like my yelling did the trick though.

Sashi: "Oh sorry, I didn't even see you there. My name is Sashi Asuka, the Ultimate Actress."

Emnei: "And I'm Emnei Takada, the Ultimate Manga Writer."

Doryo: "Fucking nerd."

Emnei: "............"

Sashi: "............."

Does this guy even realize that we can hear everything he is saying?

Yemon: "Anyways, my name is Yemon Otsuka, the Ultimate Car Racer."

Sashi: "Ultimate Car Racer? You are a teenager, right? In that case, you should barely even have a license, if you even have one at all."

Yemon: "Oh, I'm actually 20."

Sashi: "20? Did you get held back or something if you don't mind me asking?"

Yemon: "No, not held back."

Emnei: "Then why are you still in high school, or at least you should still be in high school if the rest of us are any indication."

Yemon: "Oh, ummm. I had to uh, quit school for a few years, for certain reasons."

Sashi: "And what reasons would those be?"

Yemon: "Nothing, just family matters, that's all."

There seemed to be some reluctance in Yemon's voice. It seemed like he really didn't want to talk about it.

Emnei: "Ultimate Car Racer. That's sounds awesome! How is it?"

Yemon: "It's honestly a lot of fun. It's one of those things that is much more fun to participate in than it is to watch. Simply watching car racing on TV gives you absolutely no clue on what car racing is actually like. It involves constant thrilling action. It's like being in a police chase in an action movie."

Sashi: "But isn't car racing very dangerous.?

Yemon: "It can be, but most modern racing cars have safety cages built into them to prevent you from severe injury if something goes on. Plus, to be a car racer, you have to be enough of an experienced driver to the point where accidents won't ever happen. It's also nothing compared to the illegal street races I did in the past."

Emnei: "Illegal street racing!? You shouldn't do that! That's dangerous!"

Yemon: "Haha, you got me there. Looking back on it, that was a pretty stupid thing for my young and naive self to do. But to that I say, you can't have fun without at least a little bit of danger! You can't ride a rollercoaster without fear of it breaking down! You can't travel overseas without fear of a plane crash! If I spend every second of my life fearing danger, I would never be able to live life to my fullest!"

Sashi: "That sounds like a very reckless philosophy to me, but who am I to judge."

Yemon: "You're probably right. I'm just a reckless guy in general."

Sashi: "Well I'm glad we met you Yemon. I hope we can become good friends in the future."

Yemon: "Yeah I hope so too."

Emnei: "Bye Yemon."

Yemon: "Goodbye."

Yemon also seems like a very nice guy. It feels as if for every asshole we meet, we meet a person who is really kind. He seems kind of reckless, but that's not always a bad thing. In any case, if every interaction with him is as good as the first, I think we will get along great.

Friendship Fragments 1/6: Yemon

After our pleasant conversation, me and Emnei walked over to Doryo. He was still tossing his basketball into the hoop. I really hope this guy will talk to us now that Yemon has talked some sense to him.

Sashi: "Doryo?"

Doryo: "What?"

Sashi: "We're hoping that you are finally willing to talk to us."

Doryo glanced at Yemon, who was staring at him deeply. He signed and looked back at us. He probably knew that he would get yelled at again if he said anything out of line."

Doryo: "Fine, what do you want."

Sashi: "Okay, so you probably already heard our names, so can you tell us your full name and ultimate talent please."

Doryo: "The name's fucking Doryo Ishii. I'm the fucking Ultimate Stuntman."

Sashi: "Hello Doryo. It's nice to actually have a conversation with you."

Doryo: "Don't get the wrong idea. I'm not planning on becoming friends with you people or some shit. I'm only talking to you because I don't want to pick a pointless fight with Yemon."

In other words, you are too scared of him to ignore his orders. I knew that this guy wasn't as tough as he think he is.

Emnei: "What do you do as a stuntman?"

Doryo: "Things."

Emnei: "Can you be a little more specific?"

Doryo: "No."

Sashi: "Anything else you are willing to tell me about yourself?"

Doryo: "Nope. So you can fuck off and continue with your meaningless daily lives. Just don't bother talking to me ever again."

Sashi: "Okay. I'll guess I'll leave and never talk to you again."

Wow, this guy is a dick. I though Akina and Chimon were bad, but this guy seems even worse. It would be a miracle if we somehow managed to become friends. Despite his obnoxious behavior, there is some aching feeling in the back of my mind that tells me that there's a lot more to him than what it seems. Even though we said we wouldn't talk to each other again, that's probably not going to be true. Hopefully he will be able to open up to us some other time, but that's likely a lost cause.

Friendship Fragments 1/6: Doryo

After we finished our conversations with the students, me and Emnei headed out of the gym. There's still eight more students to talk to, we're barely halfway there. Whoever we meet, there is no way they could possibly be worse than Doryo, so I should look at this through an optimistic lens.

As we headed out the gym hallway and outside, we saw another building to the left. The structure was much smaller than the gym.

Sashi: "Let's head over to this building now."

As we walked over the sidewalk, we eventually reached the building doors. There was a sign right above the entrance. The sign said "Infirmary."

Emnei: "Infirmary? That doesn't really belong on a school campus. I assume that's where they take care of sick students, but in that case, I would expect it to say something like nurse's office."

Sashi: "Maybe it really is a nurse's office and they just named it in that way to make it seem more complex or something?"

Emnei: "Who knows? This whole school is a giant mystery."

As we headed through the infimatory doors, we were greeted by loads of cabinets. This cabinets were filled with all kind of medicine and drugs. There was also a bathroom and a couple hospital beds on one side. In front of the cabinets were two different students. They both seemed to be looking for something. One student had white, wavy hair that curved to both sides in the middle of his head. He wore long, white pants and a light blue jacket over a white-buttoned up shirt. He also had short brown boots on his feet. His attire looked very professional and not something you would typically wear on a regular day. His body type was chubby but not overtly obese.

Sashi: "Hey are you looking for something?"

???: "Damn it. There's nothing here I can even remotely use."

Sashi: "I can help you if you want. What do you need?"

???: "Who speaks there!"

Sashi: "You don't need to yell, I'm right here. My name is Sashi Asuka by the way."

Emnei: "Me and Sashi are walking around, introducing ourselves to the rest of the students. I'm Emnei Takada."

???: "Who dares speak to the Ultimate Mad Scientist!?"

Sashi: "Ultimate Mad Scientist?"

What the hell is an Ultimate Mad Scientist? There's no way he's actually serious, is he? Mad scientists only exist in science fiction.

Naeko: "That's right. Don't come near the one whose name is Naeko Ennosuke, or you may be sent to an eternal hell!

Emnei: "Are you threatening us?"

Naeko: "It is not a threat, but mearly a warning. Do not come too close, or your nose may sniff the deadly toxins that were crafted by my own two hands!"

Sashi: "Okay. Well in order for us to properly know each other, we should also know each other's ultimate talents. I'm the Ultimate Actress."

Emnei: "And I'm the Ultimate Manga Writer. Now can you mind actually telling us your real ultimate talent."

Naeko: "WHAT!? You dare mock the art of mad science!? You shall be burned with the fiery punch of an ember potion splashing your face! I tell you once, I tell you twice. I AM THE ULTIMATE MAD SCIENTIST!!!"

Sashi: "Okay, if you're not going to tell us, then we will just have to guess."

I would say he's the Ultimate Delusionist, but he will probably threaten me again if I say that.

Emnei: "You talk about science and potions, so maybe the Ultimate Chemical Scientist? And by potions, you mean certain chemical mixtures?"

Naeko: "You answer correctly, however I do not simply mix chemicals. I use the power of alchemy to create the most dangerous weapons in the world! Ultimate Chemical Scientist is just my codename, while my true talent is the Ultimate Mad Scientist!"

Sashi: "By the way, what is it that you were looking for in the shelfs?"

Naeko: "That is classified information. Knowing my true intentions will result in your immediate extermination!"

Is he threating me again? Despite him saying that he will exterminate me, I honestly can't take anything he says seriously. It's like he watched too many James Bond villains and tried to imitate them in order to sound threatening.

Emnei: "Are you perhaps looking for something that you can use in an experiment? If so, I don't think the pharmacy would have that kind of stuff. If this is a legitimate school, there might be a chemistry classroom nearby with chemicals and equipment you can use."

Naeko: "PFFT! That kind of typical school supplies is for amateurs. If I intend to dominate this world with my chemical weapons, than I need to try out new things with new materials. AND NO, I will not be telling you any of my forbidden plans if I ever think about dominating this world!"

Emnei: "Well good luck with your evil plans, you evil mad scientist."

Sashi: "See you later. I hope you aren't trying to kill anybody with your chemical weapons by the time I see you again."

Naeko: "Yes, that is a wise choice my friend. Leave the mad scientist alone if you wish to live a peaceful life."

What is up with this guy? Is he really this delusional or is this some elaborate prank of his? He is just so erratic and over-the-top that I can't really form much of an opinion of him. He constantly makes death threats to me, but they're so hammy and exaggerated that I can't take them seriously. And to be honest, I don't think he is being serious either. I guess I would like to be friends with him, but more out of amusement that a legitimate attachment, at least for now.

Friendship Fragments 1/6: Naeko

After that insane conversation, me and Emnei looked at the other student who was nearby. Her hair was brown and straight. She wore a flashy pink skirt and a purple blouse. She also had two shiny bracelets and a diamond ring. Her body was skinny, and her eyes were blue. She was rather petite and short in size. White loafers covered her feet with purple socks. Her entire outfit and attire screamed "flashy". She was honestly beautiful. It left me a bit flustered if I was being perfectly honest.

Sashi: "Hey there. We're wondering if we could introduce ourselves to each other."

???: "An introduction? I was thinking just the same thing."

Sashi: "Well anyways, my name is Sashi Asuka. I'm the Ultimate Actress."

Emnei: "And I'm the Ultimate Manga Writer, Emnei Takada. What's your name and ultimate talent?"

Nori: "Hellooooo everyone! The name is Nori Ozaki and my talent is the Ultimate Film Director. I hope you don't forget it.

Sashi: "Ultimate Film Director? That doesn't really sound like a high school talent. You must only direct amateur films right that can't be shown in theaters, right?"

Nori: "Yeah. Most of my films are mostly just clips of me and my friends messing around in front of the camera. It's only when I really look at them all together to I see my true potential. Really, just taking video of me and my friends is enough to make a reality tv show. It's a shame I don't have a permit to sell my films to theaters. I need a college degree in order to make that happen."

Sashi: "Well it sounds like you really enjoy what you do."

Nori: "Yes, I love it so much. Just being able to direct films gives me a happy and fulfilling life."

Emnei: "By the way, were you looking for something earlier?"

Nori: "Not much, just looking for drugs to get me high."

Sashi: Drugs!? That's dangerous, you shouldn't do that!

Nori: "Hey you shouldn't be so judgmental; I was just simply curious. It's not like I plan to have an overdose or something."

Sashi: "Still those kinds of drugs are not meant to be used that way. Besides, you're underage."

Nori: "Alright, alright, you got me. I couldn't find anything worthwhile here anyways."

I don't think that's the issue here.

Sashi: "By the way, I just wanted to say that your outfit is amazing. It's really cute, just like you.

Nori: "Are you coming onto me?"

Sashi: "No, no. I was just trying to compliment you."

Nori: "It's okay, I get you. I get that you want me. Which is good news because I want you."

Sashi: "WHAT!?"

I gasped in surprise. I didn't expect a simple compliment to head in this direction.

Nori: "Hahaha. Just.... kidding!"

Nori left out a laugh. I started to laugh with her. I soon realized that this is just her sense of humor.

Nori: "Or am I kidding?"

Or maybe not?

Nori: "Hahaha. Just kidding again!"

Emnei: "Okay this is getting kind of weird, so how about we say goodbye and continue looking around the school."

Nori: "Oh my. I didn't really notice the first time you spoke, but you are a real cutie aren't you."

Emnei: "AHH!"

Emnei instantly turned red. He was clearly uncomfortable by this.

Sashi: "Okay, Nori. I think that's enough."

Nori: "Awwww, I was just getting started. But you're probably right."

Sashi: "Well goodbye for now Nori. I hope to see you later today."

Nori: "Bye. I hope you have fun meeting more people, because I sure am. I hope we can talk again some time."

Emnei: "Yeah, goodbye."

Well that was an interesting experience. Nori made a lot of vulgar remarks, but I think that's just a part of her sense of humor. She seemed pretty friendly and outgoing otherwise. She seemed to be just a typical high school girl who just happened to have an ultimate talent. Nori definitely seems like a person that would be fun to hang out with. I really hope we can become good friends later on.

Friendship Fragments 1/6: Nori

After we finished talking with the students in the informatory, we headed out the doors into the outside. We looked around the school once again until we saw another big building to the left. It wasn't as wide nor as tall as the gym, but still looked pretty large for a school building.

Sashi: "Another building? Let's go then."

As we walked along the sidewalk, we came to the doors of the building. There was yet another sign on the top of the door. This time is said it was a cafeteria.

Emnei: "A cafeteria? Well at least we know we have somewhere to eat if we really are stuck here."

We opened the cafeteria doors and headed inside. Inside was a large dome with tons of tables. Each table had dining chairs next to it. There were also doors that led to a kitchen, as marked by the sign. The kitchen is where students must get their school lunches. Sitting in one of the dining chairs was another student. He had straight brown hair that was neatly combed. He also wore a long-sleeved gray shirt and long black pants. He was short, but not tiny with a slim body. His entire appearance was rather plain.

Sashi: "Hello. May we introduce ourselves to each other. It would be nice to get to know you."

Kando: "Oh yes, of course. My name is Kando Yamamoto. It is a pleasure to meet you."

Kando held out his hand, which I firmly held and shook.

Kando: "A proper greeting must always begin with your name and a handshake. That is what my parents taught me."

Is a handshake really necessary for two high school students though? He seems very formal and polite with his greetings.

Sashi: "Why hello Kando. My name is Sashi Asuka."

Kando: "Hello Sashi, it is a pleasure to meet you."

Sashi: "Um, you already said that like fifteen seconds ago."

Kando: "What! Oh no, I have failed even the basics of social etiquette. How rude of me. I apolgize so deeply to have you witness me commit such horrible manners."

Sashi: "It's okay Kando. I don't think you were rude at all."

Kando: "What? Really? Oh no! Now I have embarrassed myself for making a big deal over nothing. I have truly failed basic social manners now. I am so very sorry."

What is this guy's deal? Why is he making such a big issue over his "social etiquette"? Does he not know how to speak casually?

Sashi: "Kando stop worrying yourself, I just want to have a normal conversation. You don't need to work yourself up so much over social manners."

Kando: "What do you mean normal? Isn't this a normal conversation?"

Emnei: "She means that you don't need to be so formal with your conversations. We're just getting to know each other. How about we start with you telling us your ultimate talent. I'm Emnei Takada, the Ultimate Manga Writer."

Sashi: "And I'm the Ultimate Actress."

Kando: "Alright. I am the Ultimate Chessmaster. By Chessmaster, I mean I am an expert at chess and strategy board games in general."

Emnei: "Ultimate Chessmaster? That's so cool. I bet that's an amazing talent to have."

Kando: "What? You really think so?"

Kando blushed a little bit. He must not be used to be complimented.

Sashi: "So anyways Kando. Do you have any other hobbies besides chess and strategy games?"

Kando: "I don't have any other hobbies unfortunately. I am a very boring person."

Sashi: "Hey don't say that. There's nothing wrong with only having one hobby if you are really passionate about it."

Kando: "Oh, did I mess up again. It turns out I still have a long way to go before I can be a master of social etiquette. I should have not said something so self-deprecating. I am so shamed of myself for my behavior."

Sashi: "Seriously Kando, it's alright. If you're talking about social etiquette, here's a lesson for you. Do not apologize so easily. Only apologize if someone was really bothered by what you did. You don't have to be perfect to be polite."

Kando: "Thank you Sashi. I have now learned a valuable lesson from you. Soon, I will master the arts of social interaction."

Sashi: "You're welcome Kando."

Emnei: "So anyways, we're should get going now. Goodbye Kando."

Kando: "Farewell."

Sashi: "Bye."

That was a very pleasant conversation. Kando is possibly one of the nicest people I have ever met. He is so polite, almost too polite. He seems to have trouble socializing with other students, but he is really trying his best. I really hope we can become good friends, and that he could finally learn to have a casual conversation with someone.

Friendship Fragments 1/6: Kando

After our talk, Emnei and I left the cafeteria and headed into the kitchen. In the kitchen were an oven, fridge, freezer, microwave, and several countertops. In front of the kitchen were a long counter with several glass cases. The cases could be opened easily. I assume that's where the students get the prepared food. Standing in the kitchen was yet another student. She had a red afro and a white sweater. Her pants were light brown and she wore white and black loafers. She looked to be average in height and stature for a high school girl.

Sashi: "Hey can we talk for a second if you don't mind."

???: "Sure I got plenty of time to spare."

Sashi: "Well anyways. My name is Sashi Asuka. I am the Ultimate Actress."

Emnei: "And I'm Emnei Takada, the Ultimate Manga Writer. Nice to meet you."

Gyo Shin: "Hi, my name is Gyo Shin Morikawa. I'm known as the Ultimate Clown."

Sashi: "Ultimate Clown, huh. Well you kinda got the clown hair."

Gyo Shin: "Yep, and this is all natural. Well except for the color. I dyed it red to match my clown outfit when I'm up on stage."

Sashi: "But you're not wearing a clown outfit right now, are you? And you aren't up on stage either."

Gyo Shin: "Well I pretty much leave my hair like this all day. I only put on my makeup and outfit when I'm on stage of course. Unfortunately, my clown outfit and makeup is at home, so I can't dress up like one. Not like it really matters anyways, because I'm not planning on doing a show here."

Emnei: "I got to say, clowns look very different without their makeup or outfits. I almost tend to forget they're real people."

Sashi: "What do you do as a clown?"

Gyo Shin: "Oh, just the basic stuff: tightroping, juggling, unicycling, physical comedy, etc."

Sashi: "Wait, if you're a clown, does that mean you can tell jokes?"

Gyo Shin: "Not typically. Most of my comedy is scripted and not word-based."

Emnei: "I want to hear a joke anyways. I'm sure you can come up with at least one good joke."

Gyo Shin: "Okay then. What do you call a rude cow?"

Emnei: "I don't know."

Sashi: "I don't know either."

Gyo Shin: "Beef Jerky."

Emnei: "..............."

Sashi: "..............."

That was painfully unfunny. It really feels like she just looked up a list of bad puns online and randomly picked one.

Gyo Shin: "Oh was too juvenile and cheesy for you? How about I do something a bit more mature. What's yellow and can't swim?"

Sashi: "I'm not sure. Tell me."

Gyo Shin: "A bus full of children."

Sashi: "Whoa. That's really dark. Don't tell me you actually say those jokes in your shows. I thought clowns were supposed to be family-friendly."

I looked over to Emnei, who seemed to be chuckling into his hand. I was kind of surprised. He was the last person I would think would find this funny.

Emnei: "What? I thought it was funny."

Gyo Shin: "Well my family-friendly joke wasn't very funny to you so I thought I would spice things up with a little dark humor."

Emnei: "You got any other jokes?"

Gyo Shin: "Okay, here's another one. Why did the man bring his dead wife to the local mechanic?"

Oh boy, I can already tell this one is going to be a doozy.

Emnei: "What?"

Gyo Shin: "To fix his broken dishwasher."

Sashi: "Hey! That's not funny! That's offensive!"

However, my complaints were muffled by the hysterical laughter of Emnei.

Sashi: "Wow, Emnei. I didn't know you had such an offensive sense of humor."

Emnei: "Hey don't judge me. When something is funny, I laugh. It's not something I can control."

Sashi: "Well I think that is enough jokes for now. We should get going. Goodbye Gyo Shin."

Gyo Shin: "Bye you two."

Well that was certainly interesting. While Gyo Shin has a really offensive sense of humor, she seems perfectly fine. She was friendly enough and really enjoyed socializing with us. She seems like someone I can easily become friends with.

Friendship Fragments 1/6: Gyo Shin

After our not-so hilarious conversation, Emnei and me headed out of the kitchen. We then left the cafeteria doors. We have already met twelve people. It seems like we are almost finished meeting everyone. I have to say that these four people were much more pleasant than some of the others we met earlier. It seems like everything is going fine.

After we headed outside, we looked around the area to see if they were any more buildings we haven't checked out. There was one building in the far left of the school that had a big L shape. There were two floors to them, and a series of doors led inside the structure. In front of the building was a sign that said, "Student Dorms."

Sashi: "Student Dorms, huh. How about we head over there. If we are really going to be staying in this area for more than a day than we should see where we are going to stay the night."

Emnei: "Sounds good to me."

As we walked towards the building, we passed by some benches and plants along the way. Sitting on one of the benches was what looked to be another student. He had wavy black hair and wore glasses. He wore a white suit jacket with a black tie and some gray pants. On his feet were some black and white sneakers. He was noticeably short and scrawny for his age and gender. His entire appearance looked very nerdy, sort of like Tetsu.

Sashi: "Hey may we talk to you for a second."

???: "..............."

Sashi: "Um, hello.

???: "................"

He stayed completely quiet. He was not even looking at our direction. He just seemed to be looking off into blank space. It was not like he was ignoring us but more just not even hearing us.

Emnei: "HEY! Can we talk to you for a second!"

???: "Oh. Were you talking to me?"

Sashi: "Yeah."

???: "................"

Sashi: "..............."

This is kind of awkward.

Emnei: "Well anyways, we were hoping that we could introduce ourselves to each other. We're going around the school, introducing ourselves to the rest of the students. My name is Emnei Takada by the way. I'm the Ultimate Manga Writer. Nice to meet you."

Sashi: "And I'm Sashi Asuka, the Ultimate Actress."

???: "..............."

Sashi: "Um. We were asking for your name."

Emnei: "We would also like to know your ultimate talent as well."

Fudoki: "Oh. I'm Fudoki Sasaki. I'm the Ultimate Marching Band Leader."

Even though Fudoki was talking to us, he wasn't even looking at us. He was instead shifting his eyes around, focusing on the scenery around him.

Sashi: "Can you please look at me when you're talking?"

Fudoki: "Oh. Sorry."

He sure does say "Oh" a lot, doesn't he.

Sashi: "You're the Ultimate Marching Band Leader, you say? How is it?"

Fudoki: "I like it a lot. It's pretty fun."

Sashi: "Anything else you can say about it."

Fudoki: "What do you want me to say?"

Sashi: "I don't know. It's your ultimate talent. You should be able to come up with things to talk about regarding it."

Fudoki: "It's hard for me to make conversation on my own. It's easier if you just ask questions and I answer them."

Sashi: "Alright, I can do that. What kind of events do you march in?"

Fudoki: "All kinds of events. Sport events, carnival events, school events. Basically, everywhere marching bands attend, I go there."

He's doing that repetitive speech again. Is he even aware that he is doing this? He must have some kind of social disability or something.

Emnei: "I know you say you are a marching band leader, but can you play any instruments?"

Fudoki: "Yeah. I can play the drums, flute, tuba, and trumpet. Before I even became a leader, I was just a regular band member."

Even though he is talking about his ultimate talent and hobby, he doesn't seem very happy when talking about it. His voice was completely monotone and unemotional.

Emnei: "How did you become a marching band leader?"

Fudoki: "Basically when the school decided I was too good just to be a regular member. I am a part of the school marching band, you know."

Sashi: "Yeah I figured. You have to start somewhere to be an Ultimate."

Fudoki: "........."

Sashi: "Well I think we are done for now. It was nice to get to know you Fudoki."

Emnei: "Goodbye, Fudoki."

Fudoki didn't even wave at us, instead looking around the school again. It would be nice to hear a goodbye, but I don't think he means anything bad.

That was a very awkward conversation. Half of the time Fudoki wouldn't even look at us in the eyes. It was difficult to even just talk about his ultimate talent. He doesn't seem like a bad person though. He probably just has a hard time socializing with strangers. If we can become friends, I hope he will able to socialize more effectively with me.

Friendship Fragments 1/6: Fudoki

After our introduction with Fudoki, we continued walking towards the dorms. Along the way however, we saw another student. It was a girl who was sitting in the grass, examining some flowers in the ground. She had two green pigtails and some black eyes. She was wearing a white shirt with green clovers on it and a black skirt with yellow and pink leaves. Green sandals covered her feet. She looked incredibly young in appearance and was very short. She looked like a pre-teen rather than a teenager.

Sashi: "Hey, what are you doing?"

???: "I'm looking at the flowers here. They look like camellias to me with their pink color. They're very pretty."

Sashi: "Well that's nice. Anyways my name is Sashi Asuka, the Ultimate Actress."

Emnei: "And I'm Emnei Takada, the Ultimate Manga Writer. What's your name and ultimate talent."

Chiyo: "Hi. I'm Chiyo Gima, the Ultimate Gardener."

Sashi: "Ultimate Gardener? Well I could tell you were fond of plants with the way you were looking at those flowers."

Chiyo: "Yeah. I love all plants, but I'm especially fond of flowers. They just look so pretty with their bright colors and they have so much variety in their appearance."

Sashi: "What's your favorite type of flower?"

Chiyo: "I don't know, I love them all. But I would have to say lavenders because they remind me of my great-grandma."

Emnei: "Why do lavenders remind you of your great-grandma?"

Chiyo: "They were her favorite type of flower. But she has passed away now, so I buy and grow lavenders all the time so I don't ever forget her."

Sashi: "Really? Aww, that's so sweet."

Chiyo: "She was a very caring and loving family member. But she died when I was only five so I don't remember her very well. That's why I always have lavenders around the house. Buying those flowers to her when she was ill was one of the few memories I had of her."

Emnei: "You must really love your family."

Chiyo: "Who in the world doesn't?"

Probably people with abusive and/or neglectful parents.

Sashi: "What kind of hobbies do you have Chiyo? Besides gardening of course."

Chiyo: "I love pretty much everything to do with the outdoors. I love going on nature walks and hiking. Just seeing wildlife puts me at ease."

Sashi: "So you are an outdoors person, huh."

Chiyo: "Yeah. I hate being locked up inside. That's why I only stay inside my house when I absolutely have to."

Emnei: "You sound really cheerful considering the situation we are in."

Chiyo: "Why wouldn't I be happy? I get to me an entirely new environment and get to make all sorts of new friends."

Sashi: "You aren't worried about how you don't even remember coming here. We may be stuck here for a long time, you know."

Chiyo: "Why would I think about depressing things like that? Why think of all the worst possible scenarios when you can look at the best possible scenarios instead? If I worried about things like that then I would never live a happy life. It's better to look at the positives than the negatives."

While being optimistic is a good thing, I don't really see how you can possibly be optimistic in this kind of scenario. How does she manage to stay so cheerful?

Sashi: "I think it's about time for us to leave now. Goodbye Chiyo."

Chiyo: "Bye, bye."

Emnei: "See you in the gym later."

Well that was rather nice. Chiyo seemed like a really sweet girl. She looks and acts like a child, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. She seems like someone I can easily be friends with.

Friendship Fragments 1/6: Chiyo

After our talk, me and Emnei continued walking until finally we reached the dorms. The dorms looked more like a motel, except with no lobby or other rooms besides the ones people sleep in. It looked like you can only access the rooms from the outside. There were sixteen rooms in total, one for each student I presume. On both sides of the dorms, there were eight rooms: four on the second floor, and four on the first floor. On each door was a nameplate that stated which student lives in each room. In front of one of the rooms was yet another student. The student was female and had straight black hair. She also wore a red shirt with a light brown jacket over it. Her skirt was black, and she wore brown boots. She had a very mature appearance that didn't fit her presumed age.

Sashi: "Hello. May we talk for a little while."

???: "Sure. What do you need?"

Sashi: "We were wondering if we could introduce ourselves to each other. My name is Sashi Asuka. I'm the Ultimate Actress."

Emnei: "And my name is Emnei Takada. I'm known as the Ultimate Manga Writer."

Marika: "Alright then. My name is Marika Nagao. I am the Ultimate Architect. It is a pleasure to meet you both."

Sashi: "Ultimate Architect? That doesn't sound like an high school level ultimate talent."

Marika: "I figured you would say that. I'm not a professional of course, as I need a college degree to be a true architect. However, I have studied greatly on the art of architecture and know many things on the subject."

Sashi: "That's not all there is to it, is there? To be an ultimate, you can't just know the subject, you have to practice it."

Marika: "Yes, that is correct. However, it is a bit of a long story."

Emnie: "That's alright. We still have plenty of time."

Marika: "Alright then. I will say my story if that is your wish. Basically, my family is very rich. While I only have one parent, which is my father, he is a very successful businessman and politician. He is so wealthy that his house was not bought, but rather built on the spot based on how my father wanted it to look. Due to his status as a politician, he was good friends with the city officials. This meant that he could easily ask for something to built on his behalf without a building permit or any complications."

Sashi: "Oh you must be a rich kid then. You must have had it pretty easy growing up."

Marika: "Of course you would say that. That however, is a grave assumption that is not entirely true. Now I suggest that you change the subject because that is a matter I wish not to discourse with you."

Sashi: "Oh. Sorry."

Emnei: "Seriously Sashi, try being a little more sensitive. You don't know what her life is like, so don't assume she is just some spoiled rich kid."

Marika: "Anyways, back on my story. As I said, our house was built based on how my father wanted it to look. When it was finished however, that was not the end of it. After a while, my father got a bit tired of how his home looked and wanted to renovate it. As my father was learning home construction at the time and I was studying architecture, we started to work together on our project so we could both improve our skills. For a while, it was just simple room renovations and repairs. However, as time went on, we started to make bigger and bigger projects until we started rebuilding the home completely and making expansions. I used my skill as an architect to plan how my father would construct his home. That is how I became known as the Ultimate Architect without even graduating college yet.

Sashi: "Well I'm glad I got to hear the whole story. That was very interesting. It must be nice having a talent worthy of a college major while you are still in your late teens."

Marika: "Thank you. I appreciate the compliment."

Emnei: "I have to say, you seem pretty calm right now. You're not worried about the current conundrum we are in?"

Marika: "Of course I am worried, but I do not let those feelings get to me. If I continue to let my worries and fears bother me, then eventually those feelings will overcome me, and I won't be able to keep calm and stay rational. In these kinds of situations, keeping calm is the best course of action. Staying rational allows you to find solutions to your problems."

Sashi: "Wow. I'm impressed by your ability to control your emotions right now. I definitely do not feel calm right now."

Marika: "Well let's just say it was a special ability that I was born with, as the average person cannot mask or control their emotions so easily. It might have been a trait I inherited from my father."

Sashi: "Well I think we should say goodbye for now."

Marika: "Farewell Sashi and Emnei."

Emnei: "Bye."

Well that was another interesting conversation. It feels like most of the rude people will met early on and now there's only nice people left. After we met the worst of the worst, Doryo, it just got better from there. Marika seems like a very polite and level-headed person. Her story of how she got her ultimate talent just wants me to learn even more about her. In that case, I would love to be her friend.

Friendship Fragments 1/6: Marika

After we finished our interaction with Marika, we looked around the dorms some more. Sitting in front of another room was the last student. Her hair was long and white, and her lips were colored light pink. She wore a bright pink dress with a pink bow and some white high-heals. She was incredibly tall for her gender, looking around six feet in height. She was honestly very beautiful, almost looking like a princess.

Sashi: "Why hello there. I got to say you look really pretty."

???: "Well thank you. I tend to get that a lot though."

Sashi: "I can sure see why though."

???: "Anyways, what are you two doing?"

Emnei: "We are walking around the school, seeing everything there is to see and meeting everyone."

???: "What are your names?"

Every other time, we would be asking that question, but this girl seems different. If she asked for our names first, then she must be even more outgoing than us.

Sashi: "I'm Sashi Asuka. My ultimate talent is the Ultimate Actress."

Emnei: "My name is Emnei Takada. I'm the Ultimate Manga Writer."

Renora: "Nice to meet you too. I'm Renora Shinsato. I'm known as the Ultimate Figure Skater."

Sashi: "You're the Ultimate Figure Skater. I got to say, you look elegant enough to be a figure skater."

Renora: "Wow, you are just giving out compliments like candy. It's really nice to hear though."

Sashi: "You're welcome."

Emnei: "I wonder. Is figure skating difficult?"

Renora: "Oh most definitely. It requires a severe amount of flexibility, balance, and core strength. Despite its graceful appearance, its actually one of the most physically demanding sports out there. To be a successful figure skater, you have to be incredibly muscular in both the legs and abs."

Sashi: "Wow. I never would have guessed it with that pretty dress you're wearing."

Renora: "Yeah. This dress isn't for cosmetics by the way. I actually wear this dress in order to not intimidate others with my massive muscles. Just seeing my tall and muscular appearance causes men to flee in terror."

Sashi: "What? Really?"

Renora: "No, I'm joking."

Sashi: "Oh, okay."

Me, Emnei, and Renora all started to laugh. Every minute of conversation, our fears and worries start to easy away.

Renora: "Anyways, back to what I was talking about. While figure-skating is a very difficult sport in general, the beginning are always the worst part. When you are just starting out, expect to fall a bunch. And the ice isn't soft either. In fact, it's about as hard as concrete. Coming home with bruises and scabs is the norm."

Emnei: "Oh that's sounds awful. I would hate having to due a sport that causes physical pain to master."

Renora: "Yeah, that's what most people tend to think. However, I really enjoy it."

Sashi: "Why do you like it?"

Renora: "For me, it is the satisfaction. Because it is so physically demanding and difficult to master, when you finally start to do well, it feels amazing. It's a lot of fun when you aren't falling over every few minutes. Plus, I love preforming for other people. It's so nice to know that so many people look up to me and see me as a role model for their future figure skating career."

Sashi: "Yeah, I can definitely understand that part. As an actress, is it also lovely to make other people happy. Knowing that so many people see me as a role model is just amazing."

Renora: "Well look at that. It seems like we have a lot in common. I think we are going to get along wonderfully."

Sashi: "Yeah, I think so too."

Emnei: "Well it was nice knowing you Renora. Unfortunately, it is almost time to head to the gym, so we should get going."

Renora: "Alright then. I hope to see you then."

Sashi: "Bye Renora."

That was also a wonderful conversation. Renora seemed so outgoing and friendly, almost to the point where I couldn't keep up. She seemed like someone that I could easily and probably will become good friends with. With that, I have finished meeting all the students. I guess I was actually right after all. There couldn't possibly be anyone worse than Doryo.

Friendship Fragments 1/6: Renora

After we finished talking to all the students, me and Emnei started to discuss what we should do next.

Emnei: "Alright. I know that we accomplished our goal and met all the students, but we should look around a bit more. There may be some buildings and areas we missed."

Sashi: "Sounds good. It couldn't hurt to walk around a bit more until the announcement goes off."

Emnei: "In that case, we should head south of the dorms, as that is the only direction we haven't gone in."

Sashi: "Ok."

After our talk, we started to head south of the dorms. However, our pathway was blocked by yet another gate. And like last time, there were buildings beyond the gate that we still haven't gone in.

Emnei: "Another gate? Why are they trying so hard to restrict areas of this school? It's like they don't expect us to live a regular school life."

Sashi: "You can say that again. In any case, this all sounds very fishy."

Emnei: "Well that was the last of the areas we haven't gone in, so I guess we should just wait around until the announcement starts."

As such, we began waiting around and having small talk. Not too long later, an announcement came from the speakers around the school.

Monopup: "Hello students of Hope's Peak Academy. This is Monopup speaking. I just wanted to remind you that the ceremony starts in ten minutes. Please arrive at the gym as soon as possible."

Sashi: "It's time."

Emnei: "I have a very bad feeling about this."

After the announcement, me and Emnei quickly headed over to the gym. As we came inside, we saw that all the other students were already there.

Yemon: "Oh. It seems that Emnei and Sashi have arrived."

Renora: "That should be everyone. I guess we just have to wait around until the ceremony starts."

Kando: "I'm so nervous about this. This all speaks bad news."

Renjiro: "Calm down everyone. This is all probably one big prank. Watch, as soon as the ceremony starts, this will all be revealed to be some kind of hidden camera prank show."

Chimon: "Do you honestly think a hidden camera show would have robotic animals and choose a big school as their setting? This is highly illegal either way dumbass."

Renjiro: "HEY! Who the hell you calling a dumbass, you piece of shit!"

Sashi: "Hey, stop fighting you guys! The ceremony hasn't even started, and you are already on each other's throats! Once it starts, all our questions will be revealed."

Nori: "Yeah, let's not argue everyone. I'm sure what ever you are thinking, it will not be as bad as you think."

As me and Nori spoke, Chimon and Renjiro closed their mouths and all the tension seemed to go away, at least for now. Not too long after, we heard a familiar voice.

Monopup: "Hello all my wonderful students. I appreciate you all coming here like I asked."

A panel on the gym floor started to open, and inside the hole was Monopup. Monopup slowly rose out of the hole in a some kind of elevator until he finally reached the top.

Monopup: "Sorry to keep you waiting everyone. Before we get started, I would like to say that I am actually not the headmaster of this school."

I figured that was the case. I don't think a robot puppy could ever run a school.

Emnei: "I feel like no matter how much I see you move your mouth, I am still completely weirded out."

Monopup: "Hey, that is not a very kind way to speak to your teacher! Puppies are not weird!"

No, but talking ones are.

Monopup: "Anyways. Since you still haven't met the headmaster, I would like to introduce him to you all right here and now."

If he turns out to be another stuffed animal, I have officially lost my goddamn mind. This must either be a dream or a hallucination.

As if on cue, Monopup walked out away from the panel he was stepping on. The panel then opened up and out came yet another robotic animal. This time it was a bear. Like Monopup, it stood on two legs. It was split into two sides, one black and one white. On the black side, it had a toothy grin that came out of its mouth as well an eye that looked like a red lightning bolt. On the white side, the eye looked like a black bead.

Monokuma: "Good afternoon everyone. I am the headmaster of Hope's Peak Academy, Monokuma. It's wonderful to meet you all."

It turns out I really have lost my goddamn mind, or so I thought. It turns out everyone else was seeing the same thing too.

Doryo: "Another stuffed animal? Are you fucking shitting my balls right now?"

Gyo Shin: "It must be another robot."

Monokuma: "NO, NO, NO! I am neither a stuffed animal nor a robot. I am a BEAR!"

Monopup: "Well technically you are a robot bear that was designed to look like a stuffed animal."

Monokuma: "Shut the hell up Monopup!"

Monopup looked very hurt by Monokuma's words. Or at least as hurt as a robotic dog could ever looked.

Marika: "You say you're the headmaster of this school?"

Monokuma: "You betcha."

Marika: "Then answer me this. Who is behind all this? Give me answers now!"

Monokuma: "What do you mean who's behind this? I'm the headmaster so I'm obviously the one in charge."

Marika: "Bullshit. There has to be someone controlling you. You better tell me who it is right now."

Monokuma: "Nobody is controlling me! I was born out of my mother's womb looking like this! I'm a bear, not an alien!"

Monopup: "Um, boss. Aliens aren't controlled by people."

Monokuma: "What makes you think that? Have you ever met an alien in your life?"

Monopup: "No."

Monokuma: "Then shut up Monopup."

Monopup: "Sorry sir."

Boss? Are you telling me that a robotic puppy has a boss who happens to be a robotic bear? This has to be scripted. There is no way this is real.

Marika: "Fine. If you won't tell us who is behind this then how about you tell us this. Why did you kidnap us and put his here? What is your purpose? What is your motivation?"

Monokuma: "That is something I can answer and will in a second."

Chiyo: "Can't you just let us go already? Why do we have to stay here?"

Monokuma: "Let you go you say. Well I hate to break it to you but that's impossible."

Yemon: "What do you mean, impossible?"

Monokuma: "What I mean is that you will all be stuck here for the rest of your eternal lives."

As soon as Monokuma finished his words, a sense of uneasy dread filled the air. At once, all our worst fears have been realized. We were truly stuck here for the rest of our lives.

Akina: "What the hell do you mean we're stuck here!? Like the hell I'm going to spend the rest of my life here!"

Renora: "Please tell me you are joking."

Monokuma: "Oh I assure you I am dead serious. Try all you like, but you can't escape from here, as big brick walls surround the entire campus. All exits have been sealed shut."

Yemon: "What, so are we expected to just sit here until we starve to death!?"

Monopup: "Oh do not worry about that. All food and drinks will be provided accordingly. Everything that is required to live a life here has been given."

Honestly, that was the least of my worries.

Sashi: "So there is really no way to escape!?"

Monokuma: "Oh there is one way."

Emnei: "Really. How do we escape then?"

Monokuma: "Oh, nothing much. Only by murdering one of your classmates."

As Monokuma spoke, all our worries and dreads began to warp into outright terror. Even Tetsu, who had been quiet up until this point, had showed complete fear in her eyes.

Chiyo: "M-Murder!?"

Fudoki: "There is no way this is true! If it was, where all the police!? This should be worldwide news!"

Monokuma: "Why do you think the police will help you in the first place? The police can't be expected to know immediately whenever something illegal is going on."

Nori: "Then what about our families!? They should know immediately that their children are missing!"

Monokuma: "That is also information I cannot answer. All I can say is that nobody will ever be able to come to your aid. Even if people did know, there is nothing that could be done."

Kando: "What!?"

Chimon: "So to recap, the only way for us to escape is to kill someone?"

Monokuma: "That's correct."

Chimon: "In that case, what happens if someone kills one of us? Do they just immediately get to leave while the rest of us stay here?"

Monokuma: "Puhuhuhu. Oh, if only it were that easy. You see, a person can only leave if they committed murder and gotten away with it."

Emnei: "What do you mean?"

Monokuma: "I mean that a person has to commit murder without anybody knowing they done it. So in order to try to figure out who the killer is, a class trial will be held. The rules are simple. Everyone will be arguing on who they think the killer is. Once everyone has finished their arguments, the voting will be begin. Everyone must vote on who they think the killer is. If more than half of you vote correctly, than only the killer, who is also known as the blackened, will receive punishment. However, if the vote is incorrect, than everyone besides the blackened will be punished. The blackened will then get to escape this school."

Monopup: "Also these class trials will be 100% fair, so do not worry."

Akina: "Wait, I have another question. What is this 'punishment' you keep mentioning? Are we going to get thrown in prison or something?"

Monokuma: "No. By punishment, I mean execution."

It feels like the more we learn, the more we fear. Just when you think it couldn't get any worse, it does.

Nori: "WHAT!? EXECUTION!?"

Monokuma: "That's right. And the circumstances don't matter either. Whether it's spur of the moment, accidental, or even self-defense, you still get executed. If you killed someone, intentional or not, you get executed. It's as simple as that."

Yemon: "Wait, what kind of execution is it!?"

Monokuma: "I don't know. It could be anything. Whatever I am in the mood for, I guess."

Kando: "This is just so messed up, I can't even say a word to describe this terror."

Naeko: "What kind of blasphemy is this!?"

Sashi: "Wait so even if I vote correctly, I will still get punished if most people vote incorrectly!? How is that fair!?"

Monokuma: "That sounds completely fair in my eyes. If you knew who the culprit is, then you should of done a better job of convincing everyone else that they were the culprit. That's what the class trial is for after all."

Akina: "What kind of death game is this, and why do we have to participate in it!?"

Monokuma: "If you were wondering, that is why you were all brought here. To participate in this killing game. Ahhahahaha!"

There is only one word that could describe this madness. Despair.

Monokuma: "Anyways, I think I have explained enough of these rules for now. If you look under the rules section on your monopods, all the rules should now be posted there. I will give you all some time to read the rules. If you have any questions regarding the rules, just ask."

Despite our protests, we did what was asked and pulled out our monopods. I tapped the rules section, and sure enough all the rules were posted there.

#1: Students must live at the Ultimate Academy for the remainder of their foreseeable future.

#2: Once a murder takes place, all surviving students must participate in a class trial.

#3: If the blackened is exposed during the class trial, they alone will be executed.

#4: If the blackened is not exposed, all remaining students will be executed.

#5: If the blackened survives the class trial, they will graduate and re-enter the outside world.

#6: The killing game and class trials will continue until only two surviving students remain.

#7: "Nighttime" is from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. The dining hall and gymnasium are off-limits at night.

#8: Violence toward Monokuma or Monopup, as well as the destruction of surveillance cameras, is strictly prohibited.

#9: Monokuma nor Monopup will never directly commit a murder.

#10: Your Monopads are very important items. Please do not damage them.

#11: The "Body Discovery Announcement" will play when three or more students discover a body.

#12: With minimal restrictions, you are free to explore the campus at your discretion.

#13: Students who violate these rules will be immediately executed.

#14: Only two murders can be committed before a class trial.

#15: If two different murders by different murderers occur around the same time, only the one who killed first will become the blackened.

#16: To prevent unsolvable murders, murders cannot be committed during nightime.

#17: Further, there may be new additions to the school rules according to the convenience of the headmaster.

Chimon: "Um, I have a question regarding rule number 16. Why would murders that happen during nighttime would be 'unsolvable'."

Monokuma: "Basically that rule is in place because nighttime is when people should be sleeping. In that case, if someone lures someone out of the room and kills them without leaving any incriminating evidence, the murder would be impossible to solve because no one would have an alibi during that time. If everyone except the killer and victim were sleeping in their rooms, than you couldn't tell who left their room. My advice to you is that if you want to get away with murder, you should think outside the box."

Marika: "But why is that an issue? Why should it matter if we can't figure out who the killer is?"

Monokuma: "While this is a game involving people killing each other, I try to make the class trials as fair as possible. If a murder is impossible to solve, than it is pretty much a guaranteed victory for the blackened, which would be kind of a boring outcome for me. The killing game would end very quickly, and that is not an interesting viewing experience. The fun is not knowing who is going to survive."

Emnei: "You say that as if this whole thing is just for your sadistic amusement!"

Monokuma: "Puhuhuhu. What can I say? These killing games are just filled with thrilling excitement!"

Monokuma: "Do any of you have any other questions? If not, I will be leaving now, so enjoy the your killing school life."

Marika: "I have a question. I get that you are the headmaster. In that case, who is Monopup?"

Monopup: "Oh, I will basically be your supervisor. I will be watching to make sure you all follow the rules. Monokuma comes up with the rules, and I enforce them. Monokuma tends to only show up during school announcements, so expect to see me if you have any questions or concerns."

Monokuma: "He's basically my underling in a way. Anyways, since everyone has finished asking their questions, I will be leaving now. Enjoy killing my fellow students."

Monokuma and Monopup soon left the scene. As they left, a huge silence filled our ears. We were all scared. Scared of what might happen next. In fear, I stared at everyone else and didn't move an inch. Even Emnei, who I was by far the closest to out of all these students, didn't escape my glare. By it wasn't just me. Everyone, was frozen in place, staring at each other. Everyone was afraid of everyone else. Just the fact that someone might betray us filled our minds with despair. That is how my killing school semester began.

PROLOGUE END

Sashi Asuka: Alive

Yemon Otsuka: Alive

Fudoki Sasaki: Alive

Akina Kuroda: Alive

Chimon Taniguichi: Alive

Marika Nagao: Alive

Tetsu Yanagi: Alive

Gyo Shin Morikawa: Alive

Doryo Ishii: Alive

Kando Yamamoto: Alive

Chiyo Gima: Alive

Renora Shinsato: Alive

Emnei Takada: Alive

Nori Ozaki: Alive

Renjiro Hara: Alive

Naeko Ennosuke: Alive

Surviving Students: 16


	2. The Very First Despair

It felt like our silence was never going to end. That is until we heard a loud voice echo throughout the gym.

Yemon: "What the hell are you guys doing? You really think staring at each other will resolve our situation?"

Kando: "But we're are trapped in here, and the only way to escape is to kill another student."

Yemon: "Well I think it is all bullshit! Are you are really going to believe a robotic bear of all people!? I bet he was lying about there being no way to escape! I'm sure we can find a way out of here if we all put our heads up and work together!"

Chimon: "You say that, but what if someone betrays us?"

Yemon: "I say that will never happen! I don't think any of you people will be willing to murder someone, except maybe Doryo, but fuck him!"

Doryo: "The fuck you say to me!?"

Yemon: "Anyways, there's no need to be afraid for now. I'm sure we will be able to get out of this situation somehow."

Nori: "Yeah everyone! There's no reason to believe Monokuma! We will be able to leave this academy without losing a single life if we just stop believing him and try to cooperate."

As Nori and Yemon gave their encouraging speeches, our minds began to ease, and we stopped staring at each other. It seemed like all was well again, until someone had to say something to ruin our moods again.

Chimon: "You are all acting like we will be able to get out of this situation so easily. Oh, we all just got kidnapped and put in this weird school that no one has heard of. We are told that we are trapped here and can only escape if we kill someone else. But I'm sure we can escape if we just all cooperate and work together. Bullshit. If we were able to escape so easily, there wouldn't be this much preparation involved. This place was clearly designed to have us kill each other. Why do you think there's surveillance cameras placed all over the school? Probably to keep track of us and make sure we are following the rules. If we try to escape, the cameras will probably catch us. These cameras are also here to monitor whoever committed a murder. Why do you think so many areas have been blocked off by gates? It's to make sure we cannot escape this place."

Renora: "Well I'm sure this is just some elaborate set-up to make us scared or something. There's no way Monokuma is telling the truth."

Chimon: "Even if Monokuma is lying, we don't know if someone believes him or not. Even if we think he's lying, there might be someone who believes him and tries to commit murder because of it. It sounds so easy to just say, 'let's cooperate so we can't escape this academy', but we know deep inside us that it's not that simple.

Renjiro: "Goddamnit, why did you have to ruin the mood again!? Now we will all be afraid of each other again!"

Chimon: "Don't blame me for telling the truth. There's no point in having hope if that hope will just lead to us being betrayed in the end. If you want to be mad at someone, be mad at Monokuma for putting us in this situation. I'm just trying to make sure no one has any false promises."

Emnei: "Then if we can't escape this place by cooperating, what can we even do!? Is it all just a hopeless situation!?"

Gyo Shin: "I guess our only choice is to live the rest of our lives here."

Akina: "Hell no! There's no way I'm living the rest of my life in this hellhole!"

Sashi: "Wait, hold on everyone! I'm sure if we wait long enough, help will eventually come! While this place may have been designed to make us kill each other, I don't believe that nobody can ever help us in this situation! Monokuma was probably just lying!"

Yemon: "Sashi's right. Until we know for sure that nobody can help us, let's not lose hope! I'm sure we can make it out of here alive!

Chiyo: "Alight, I'll believe you! I want to believe that we can leave this place!"

It seemed like all our fears and worries have washed away once again. There was no way that nobody will ever come to our aid. There has to be someone who can help us in this situation. Until we know for sure, I'll continue to be optimistic.

Fudoki: "Um, what time is it? I kinda lost track."

Naeko: "It is about 9:00 P.M according to the gym clock. Beware mortal, as the light of the moon is when the mad scientist strikes! If you don't want to be poisoned by the smell of my toxic potions, I recommend you lock your door!"

Emnei: "Well murders cannot be committed at nighttime so I don't think you have to worry about that."

Fudoki: "Well Naeko doesn't really scare me anyways if I'm being honest."

Naeko: "WHAT!? The mad scientist does not create fear in your eyes! That is quite embarrassing then. I felt I have made a fool of myself."

You are just now realizing that?

Fudoki: "No, continue with your mad scientist persona. I think it is hilarious."

Naeko: "Is that so? Very well then. I shall make you laugh with my science of EVIL! Beware, as you may have a heart attack from laughing so hard! Ahahahaha!"

Fudoki: "Well thanks for the advice, you evil mad scientist."

Wait, are these guys actually getting along? These are honestly the last people I expected to have a legitimate conversation. Fudoki seemed really socially awkward when I first met him and Naeko is well, Naeko."

Nori: "Wait if nighttime is almost about to begin, does that mean we have to stay in the dorms for the night?"

Marika: "I assume that is the case. There seemed to be no other place to rest."

Sashi: "Well I guess we should all head to the dorms now. Goodnight, everyone."

Everyone began to start walking out of the gym one by one. I waited until Emnei started to walk towards the gym doors, and began to follow him.

Sashi: "Hey Emnei, may we walk to the dorms together?"

Emnei: "I'm sorry Sashi, but can I walk to the dorms by myself tonight? It's just that a lot has happen today and I need some alone time to process it all. Don't worry, I will talk to you again tomorrow."

Sashi: "Sure, that's fine Emnei. Goodnight Emnei."

Emnei: "You too."

I waited until Emnei walked out of the building before starting to walk out on my own. But before I could leave, Yemon spoke to me.

Yemon: "Hey, Sashi. I got to say, the way you encouraged everyone was pretty cool."

Sashi: "Wait, what are you talking about? I hardly said a word. You were the one who was encouraging everyone."

Yemon: "You didn't say much, but what you did say was very inspiring. I think people like you really help us in situations like this."

Sashi: "I still think you are being too nice, but thanks anyway."

Yemon: "No problem. See you tomorrow."

Sashi: "Goodnight Yemon."

I then began to walk my way out of the gym and towards the dorms. I headed towards the door with my nameplate on it. I tried to open the door, but it was locked. Confused, I tried examining the door, but it didn't seem to have a keyhole or a place to put a keycard in like most hotels.

Monopup: "You having trouble there Sashi?"

Sashi: "WHOA!"

I was shocked my Monopup's sudden appearance. It like he appeared out of thin air.

Monopup: "Hey don't be surprised, it's just your supervisor, Monopup. I just was wondering if you need help opening the door."

Sashi: "If I need any help, I'm not going to be asking you. You really think we're friends after you forced us to play in this killing game?"

Monopup: "Oh come on, don't be mean. I'm not trying to cause trouble. You see, this door has a sensor on it. If you open up your monopod and show the screen to the door, it will unlock. However, since this is your door, it will only react to your monopod. This is for security purposes of course. We wouldn't want anybody breaking into your room in the middle of the night, would we?"

Even though I didn't ask for his help, he gave me advice anyways. Despite my disapproval, I opened up my monopod anyways and showed it to the door. Sure enough, the door unlocked, and I could go inside.

Monopup: "See, listening to me isn't such a bad thing. Now you should thank me for helping you like that."

Sashi: "Thanks, asshole."

Monopup: "............"

With a sad look on his face, Monopup soon left the area. I opened the door to my room and came inside. It looked like a typical dorm room. There was a bed, closet, and bathroom inside. In the closet was spares of the exact same outfit I'm wearing. Why did they put exact copies of my clothes inside the closet? It's nice to know I have spare clothes but wearing the same thing every day will get boring fast. Inside the room was also a monitor and surveillance camera. I assume the surveillance camera is used to monitor me like the ones all throughout the academy, while the monitor is where Monokuma does his announcements. I also looked inside the bathroom. In there were a toilet, sink, mirror, and a shower/bathtub. After I finished looking around my room, a sudden announcement came from the monitor.

Monokuma: "Attention, everyone. It is now 10:00 P.M. As such, it is officially nighttime. Remember that you cannot go to the gym nor the dining hall at night. Murders also cannot be committed during this time, so please wait until the next morning to start killing. Now then, goodnight everyone."

I guess it's time to go to bed now. I wonder what's in store for us tomorrow? Hopefully not a dead body. No, I shouldn't be thinking like that. For now I should just try to get some well-earned rest. As I put my body under the bed sheets, I slowly began to drift to sleep.

.............................

Ding dong, bing bong.

Huh, what was that? Was that the morning bell? The sudden noise woke me up from my deep sleep. But before I could get out of my bed, a sudden voice came out of the monitor. 

Monokuma: "Good morning everyone. If you heard this announcement, that means that is 7:00 A.M and nighttime is officially over. The dining hall and gym will now be open, and you're free to kill as much as you want. Get ready for another beautiful day in your killing school semester."

Oh, I guess it is morning after all. I guess I better take a shower and get dressed then. I should then head out of my room. After I finished my shower and dressed up, I walked out of my door. Just outside, someone was waiting for me.

Emnei: "Why hello Sashi. Good morning."

Sashi: "Were you waiting for me?"

Emnei: "Yeah. I woke up early so I wanted to wait for you. I was hoping we could head to the dining hall together so we can eat breakfast."

Sashi: "Alright Emnei. That sounds good to me."

Me and Emnei then left the dorms and started to walk towards the cafeteria

Sashi: "So how did you sleep Emnei."

Emnei: "Not very well if I'm being honest. I was still scared. I was worried that someone might eventually be killed. Even though we say we will work together, someone might still betray us. That thought kept me up at night."

Sashi: "Well I'm sorry to hear that. But you really shouldn't worry yourself with thoughts like that. If you keep thinking about the worst possible outcomes, then you will always be unhappy."

Emnei: "I know, but I was just scared. It's hard to be optimistic when the situation is so awful."

Sashi: "Yeah, I understand."

As we started to talk, we eventually reached the dining hall. We opened the doors to find that everyone except Chimon and Tetsu were there. Nori seemed to cooking food in the kitchen while everyone else was sitting on the tables and talking.

Renora: "Oh, there are you two. We were hoping that everyone would come to the dining hall. Nori is cooking all of us breakfast."

Kando: "Tetsu and Chimon still aren't here though. Maybe we should send someone to go check on them."

Marika: "I'll go check on them."

After Marika left the dining hall, me and Emnei sat down on an empty table. As we waited for Nori to finish cooking, a familiar voice came from the dining hall.

Monopup: "Good morning everyone, it's your supervisor Monopup."

Renjiro: "What the hell do you want?"

Monopup: "I'm just here to make an announcement. You know the gate that is below the dorms? It is now open. In that new area are some of your Ultimate Labs."

Yemon: "Ultimate Labs?"

Monopup: "Ultimate Labs are basically areas that are designed for each and every one of you. Each lab is for a specific talent that you can practice. For example, there's the Ultimate Garderner Lab for Chiyo, the Ultimate Chemistry Lab for Naeko, and so on and so forth."

Sashi: "Why are these Ultimate Labs here in the first place though? Is there a specific reason for them?"

Monopup: "Oh they are just regular classrooms that were built for Hope's Peak Academy Students. I just figured that you could use these areas to further develop your Ultimate Talents. You are Ultimate Students after all."

Emnei: "In that case, why couldn't we access them before? Why was the gate even there in the first place?"

Monopup: "It was there so you couldn't access everything at once. This is a pretty big school, so we wouldn't want you to get lost. Don't worry, all the areas of this school will eventually be unlocked."

Emnei: "Is that really the only reason though? Schools shouldn't even have locked areas in the first place?"

Monopup: "Don't ask me. I'm not the one who created this school, nor am I the one who came up with the rules. Monokuma is the one who comes up with the rules, I just enforce them.

Sashi: "In that case, why don't you bring him out right now."

Monopup: "No can do. Monokuma only shows up for major school announcements. Besides, I don't think that is a question he is willing to answer."

Akina: "Is that all you came here to tell us?"

Monopup: "Yep, so goodbye my fellow students."

Monopup then left the scene. Marika then came inside the dining hall. However, Tetsu and Chimon weren't with her.

Gyo Shin: "How did they respond Marika?"

Marika: "They said they will come by later once the food is finished. Well Chimon said that at least. Tetsu just threw a paper ball at me saying basically the same thing."

Nori: "Why won't they come to the dining hall? Are they afraid of us?"

Renora: "Honestly, I just think they don't like interacting with people."

Yemon: "Um. Maybe I suggest something?"

Sashi: "Sure, what is it?"

Yemon: "In order to make us socialize more, I have a suggestion. How about every morning, we all come to the dining hall and eat breakfast together?"

Doryo: "Fuck that. I don't want to socialize with any of you people."

Emnei: "I think that's a great idea Yemon.

Chiyo: "If we really get to know each other more, I think we will less inclined to murder each other."

Yemon: "Alright, so if you are in favor of the idea, raise your hand."

Everyone except Doryo raised their hands. Even Fudoki, who I didn't think to be a very sociable person, raised his hand."

Yemon: "Since almost all of you raised their hand, I guess it's now official. We should make sure to tell Chimon and Tetsu. Hopefully they will come next morning."

Nori: "Hey everyone. Breakfast is ready."

Nori than began passing out plates to everyone. She even left two plates for two empty seats. For Chimon and Tetsu, I presume. On the plate were eggs as well as cabbage and carrots seasoned with Furikake. As I took a bite out of it, a delicious sensation filled my tongue. It was honestly the best thing I have ever eaten in a long time.

Sashi: "This is really good Nori."

Nori: "Why thank you very much."

Emnei: "I didn't know you were such a good cook Nori."

Nori: "Yeah I was taught how to cook by my mother at a really young age. I grew up in a very traditional household growing up, so I was always taught that women must learn how to cook well in order to serve for their husbands. But I don't really believe in that anymore. I cook because I want to make people happy with my food, not because I'm a woman."

I was about to say. Nori doesn't seem like a very traditional person at all. In fact, she's probably the opposite of what her parents wanted her to be like.

Eventually, everyone finished their plates. Suddenly, the dining hall doors opened and out came Chimon and Tetsu.

Yemon: "Oh, finally you two are here. I knew you guys would come after all."

Chimon: "I'm literally only here for the food. As soon as I get my plate, I going to return to my room."

Sashi: "Wait hold on you two. Before you leave, I would like to say that Yemon suggested that we meet in the dining hall every morning for breakfast, so please come by tomorrow."

Chimon: "No thanks."

Yemon: "Oh come on you guys. We barely know each other, so we should socialize more."

Chimon: "What, so you expect me to get all friendly with everyone so they could easily betray me at a moment's notice? Don't you remember? This is a killing game we are all in. You may think someone is trying to be your friend, when in reality there are trying to gain your trust in order to betray you. In fact, why do I even trust the food that Nori served? One of these plates might be filled with poison. You know what? I'm tossing the food out right now and getting food from the fridge myself."

As always, Chimon ruined the mood. We almost forgot about that we were in a killing game until Chimon brought it up. We were having such a good time talking to each other, why did he have to ruin it.

Nori: "Poison!? I could never do something like that?"

Chimon: "And why should I believe you? If I'm going to survive, I can't do anything with anyone. The only way to survive is to lock yourself in your room and have a knife near you in case someone tries to attack you. And that's exactly what I will be doing."

Renjiro: "YOU KNOW WHAT! I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF YOUR SHIT! EVERY SINGLE DAY YOU HAVE BEEN GETTING ON OUR NERVES! EVERYTIME WE TRY TO SOCIALIZE AND HAVE A GOOD TIME, YOU HAVE TO RUIN IT FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED! IF YOU DON'T GET THE FUCK OUT RIGHT NOW, I WILL KNOCK YOUR SENSES BACK INTO YOU."

Sashi: "Wait, no! Stop fighting everyone! Violence does not solve everything! I'm sure we can work this out."

But my words were in vain. Renjiro quickly raised his fist and swung it at Chimon. But right before it hit Chimon's face, Yemon grabbed Renjiro's arm.

Yemon: "That's enough Renjiro. If you really don't want any murders to happen, then do not cause fights like this. Even if it's just a punch to the face, it could easily lead to murder later on."

Yemon must have gotten some sense to him, because Renjiro soon lowered his fist. Chimon, completely unfazed by Renjiro's attempted assault, walked over to the trash can. He was about to dump his food away before Nori stopped him.

Nori: "Chimon, may I please ask you to not throw my food away. I made this for you. I assure you it is not poisoned. Besides, there isn't even any poison around. We searched all throughout the school but there was no poison to be found. Also, everyone has eaten and they're completely fine."

Chimon: "Fine."

Chimon walked away from the trash can and out the dining hall doors, plate in hand. Tetsu must have also left with her food, because she wasn't here and her plate was gone.

Renora: "Well now that everyone hasn't finished eating, let's check out the research labs that Monopup mentioned."

Marika: "That sounds good to me. I too am curious about these labs."

On that note, everyone left the dining hall. We all walked outside and headed towards the new opened gate. I wonder what the research labs will be like?

Sashi: "Yep, it's opened. Let's look around."

Right outside the gate was another building. However, it looked far different from the other ones we entered. It was made of marble and had several pillars up front. It look like a monument from Ancient Greece. On top of the door was a sign that said the Ultimate Architect Lab.

Sashi: "Ultimate Architect Lab? I guess this is Marika's lab then."

Emnei: "That's probably why the architecture looks so different from all the other buildings."

Me and Emnei headed inside the big doors of the Ultimate Architect Lab. Inside was a large desk with lots of sketching paper and several different equipment. There were rulers, protractors, measurement triangles, and other various tools. There was also a 3D printer, which I assume is used to print out models of buildings, and a big bookcase with different books based around architecture. It really felt like a place a professional architect would work. Already inside the building was Marika, who was excitingly examining everything inside the lab.

Marika: "Look at all these things! They even have a 3D printer! I have never even used one of these before!"

Sashi: "You like your Ultimate Lab, Marika?"

Marika: "Yeah, it's amazing. I love all the equipment here. It's feels like a place I can really potentially practice my talent as an architect."

Emnei: "Yeah, I could tell with how excited you sounded. You're don't normally show that much emotion."

Marika: "Well, I get really excited when it comes to my hobbies."

Sashi: "Do you like the design of this building? You're the Ultimate Architect so I feel like you're the most qualified person to say whether this building is well designed."

Marika: "Yeah it's pretty cool. It's kind of cliché though. Greek is such a stereotypical style of architecture, but it's one that isn't used very often in modern times, so I still appreciate it. It's pretty accurate too. This is how the Ancient Greeks really built their structures."

Sashi: "I got to say, even though Monokuma just revealed the fact that we are in a killing game, you still seem pretty calm right now."

Marika: "But of course. I currently see no reason to fear, as we have only been here for around 24 hours. We don't even know if we are truly trapped here yet."

Emnei: "Chimon seems to think so."

Marika: "Well I don't listen to people like him. He's so cynical and bad-tempered that he only thinks of the worst possible outcomes. There's a difference between being logical and being a skeptic. You know what's illogical, believing the fact that nobody can ever help us in our situation. The police, our parents, not even the government can even help us in our situation according to Monokuma. Well I don't believe that for a second."

Sashi: "Yeah I agree. Unless we know for sure about our situation, we shouldn't be so depressed about it."

Marika: "That's exactly why I'm so calm. Being paranoid is what causes murders to happen. Being paranoid is exactly what Monokuma wants, so I'll never show any fear. Not even a single murder has happened yet, so I don't see a reason to panic. The most stressful of situations is when you should be at your calmest."

Sashi: "Yeah. I get what you're saying, but staying calm isn't an easy task."

Marika: "Don't worry, I understand. I'm not saying that every has to be perfectly calm in this situation, because I know that is a very difficult task. I just think that we shouldn't get too paranoid without knowing all the facts."

Sashi: "Wow, you really are amazing Marika. Just the fact that you can stay so calm and rational even in the face of danger is really something. With people like you, I don't think a murder will ever happen."

Marika: "Thank you, Sashi."

Emnei: "Anyways, we still have other areas to check out, so we being leaving now."

Marika: "Alright then. I'll still be in my lab if you need something."

I really hope I'm right about no murders happening. While we all seem to be fine now, we don't know what Monokuma is plotting. We don't know how determined he is to let this killing game happen.

Me and Emnei headed out the lab door and looked around outside some more. Right next to the Ultimate Architect Lab was what looked to be another research lab. The building was smaller and stood out a lot less than the last one, making it fit more with the rest of the school. On top of the doors was the name "Ultimate Chessmaster Lab".

Sashi: "This must be Kando's lab."

Emnei: "I don't think you really need a research lab for playing chess, but who am I to judge."

Me and Emnei opened the doors and headed inside. Inside the building were all kinds of games. There was a dartboard, chess tables, and other miscellaneous games and puzzles. There were also couches and chairs to lay in. To be honest, it looked more like a typical rec room that was renamed the Ultimate Chessmaster Lab. It's like this wasn't designed as a Ultimate Lab to begin with, but whoever owns the school felt like there needed to be a research lab for every student. Sitting on the couch was Kando.

Sashi: "Why hello Kando."

Kando: "Oh, good morning Sashi. It's so wonderful to speak to you again."

Kando instantly got up from the couch and offered his hand to mine. I politely shook it.

Sashi: "This is kind of a strange time to say good morning though. It's already almost noon. I would expect you to say to me in the dining hall earlier."

Kando: "Oh no. I'm so sorry for that. That wasn't very kind of me, was it? Forgive me, I have failed at basic social etiquette once again."

Sashi: "Kando, what lesson did I teach you again?"

Kando: "Oh, my bad. You told me to not apologize so easily. I should only apologize if I legitimately hurt the other person."

Sashi: "That's right Kando. So, make sure to remember that next time."

Kando: "Thank you Sashi. I will make sure to remember it the next time we speak."

Emnei: "What do you think of your research lab Kando?"

Kando: "It honestly makes me really happy. If we are truly stuck here for who-knows how long, it's nice to know we have some activities to do while we're bored."

Sashi: "I guess in that way, it's better than a prison."

Kando: "I really hope we aren't really stuck here forever though. All this talk about murder makes me worried as well."

Emnei: "I'm the same way. I couldn't sleep last night because all those worries kept me up at night."

Kando: "It's really a shame because I would have really liked coming here for a school semester. Being able to interact with so many new people is a great learning experience for me."

Sashi: "Yeah, because you want to master 'social etiquette'."

Kando: "That's correct."

I wonder. Why does Kando feel the need to have to master "social etiquette?" Does he not socialize with people very often?

Sashi: "We'll be checking the other Ultimate Labs now, so we'll be leaving."

Kando: "Alright. Farewell you two."

We then headed out the doors and back outside. Right next to the Ultimate Chessmaster Lab was some kind of greenhouse. It's roof was made out of complete glass and shaped like a dome. The sign was labeled "Ultimate Gardener Lab".

Sashi: "I figured this was Chiyo's lab. The greenhouse look was a dead giveaway."

As soon as we went inside, we were confronted by absolutely gorgeous scenery. There was all times of trees, bushes, and flowers planted all over the ground. There were rock pathways that led around the area and a big fountain in the middle. A toolshed along with a hose were also inside the garden. One of the plants inside the greenhouse even looked to be carnivorous. Inside was Chiyo, who was once again examining plants.

Sashi: "Hi, Chiyo."

Chiyo: "Oh hey you two."

Emnei: "What do you think of your Ultimate Lab, Chiyo?"

Chiyo: "I love it. There's all kinds of plants here. Some of these plants I haven't even seen before."

Sashi: "I wonder. Are these plants watered manually or do they have to be watered individually by someone?"

Chiyo: "They have to be watered individually. That's not an issue for me though. I like taking care of plants."

Sashi: "Wait, then who was handling them before we got here?"

Emnei: "It's probably whoever designed this place. The one who is likely controlling Monokuma."

Is that really true though? We don't know for sure who's controlling Monokuma. It might not even be the headmaster or whatever.

Sashi: "So you are planning on taking care of all the plants here? That seems like a big responsibility."

Chiyo: "Well I do these sorts of things all the time at home, so it's not a huge issue for me. It's not like we really have much to do here anyways."

Sashi: "I guess so."

Chiyo: "However I probably have to visit here a least once a week, if not daily, to keep everything healthy."

Emnei: "Then you will probably be visiting your lab a lot, huh."

Chiyo: "Seems so."

Sashi: "You seem pretty cheerful right now. Are you still not worried about our situation?"

Chiyo: "I was at first. Honestly, I'm still a little bit afraid. But people like Yemon and Nori really encouraged me with their speeches. Like what they said, I think there's definitely a way to escape this place before anybody gets hurt."

Sashi: "I think you're right. Besides, I don't think anybody has a good enough reason to commit murder. We don't even know if there really is no way out or not."

Chiyo: "Well until we know for sure, I'm going to continue to stay happy."

Sashi: "You do that Chiyo."

Emnei: "I think we will head out now. I think I saw one more research lab nearby."

Chiyo: "Alright. I'll see you too later."

Once again, me and Emnei exited the lab. Outside the lab was another building. Like Kando's lab, it looked very generic and blended in with the rest of the school. Just like before, there was a sign above the doors. It said that this was the Ultimate Marching Band Leader's lab.

Sashi: "This is Fudoki's lab."

We opened the doors and fled inside. The lab had all kinds of band equipment around. There was also a bookcase full of music books and a small stage that's probably for performing. Fudoki was sitting down, playing a trumpet. It sounded wonderful. I could tell he was really good at it.

Sashi: "Fudoki, you're trumpet playing skills are amazing."

Fudoki didn't even hear me. My voice must have been drowned out by the trumpet. I instead walked over to him and tapped him on the shoulder.

Fudoki: "AHH!"

Fudoki quickly stopped playing and backed off a bit.

Sashi: "Don't be so surprised. It was just a light tap."

Fudoki: "Can you please not do that again? I don't liked to be touched, especially without me even knowing."

Sashi: "Sorry. I didn't know you're were so sensitive to touch."

Emnei: "Anyways. How's your lab Fudoki?"

Fudoki: "Eh."

Emnei: "Can you say anything else? Also, can you please look me in the eyes while you're talking?"

Fudoki: "No."

Sashi: "Well that's rather rude. We just wanted you to look us in the eyes while talking."

Fudoki: "Oh. I was responding to your first question."

You could have just said that.

Sashi: "So, you can't say anything else about your lab?"

Fudoki: "No. Actually, yes."

Emnei: "Really? What can you tell us?"

Fudoki: "I got to say, this lab is pointless without a band. I can play instruments, but I'm a marching band leader, not a marching band player."

Sashi: "Yeah. I thought the same thing. You're really good at playing the trumpet though."

Fudoki: "Thanks."

That was kind of a blunt thanks. But I think he is at least trying to be polite, so that's a good thing.

Sashi: "This may be sort of an awkward question, but what do you think about our situation?"

Fudoki: "It's awful and I don't want to talk about it."

Well avoiding it is kind of hard when we're literally told to kill each other. It's the reason we're even stuck here in the first place.

Sashi: "You probably don't want us bothering you for too long, so we'll head out now."

Fudoki immediately started playing the trumpet again. It seemed like he really didn't want to be bothered, so we headed out the lab.

Sashi: "Is that everything new to see?"

Emnei: "Looks like it. Any new areas are blocked off by more gates."

Sashi: "I guess we have to wait until Monokuma opens them up again."

Emnei: "Then I assume we're on our own for now. We're done exploring, so I we basically have free time to do whatever we want."

Sashi: "Then I guess I'll head back to my room for now."

Emnei: "Alright."

I headed back to my dorms and stayed inside. However, after resting for a bit, I felt like I need to something else. Something meaningful to buy the time. Maybe I should go talk to someone.

FREE TIME START

Who should I talk to? I headed out the dorms and started searching for potential people.

After some walking and thinking, I decided I should hang out with Naeko. He's really weird and seems to be in his on little fantasy world, but I wonder if he really thinks he's a mad scientist or he is just faking it. In order to find out, I ringed Naeko's doorbell next to his hotel room. A few seconds later, Naeko opened the door.

Naeko: "What do you want? You have some nerve to speak to the Ultimate Mad Scientist, all by yourself no less."

Sashi: "Hi, Naeko. I was wondering if we could hang out for a little bit."

Naeko: "FOOLISH MORTAL! You think you can 'hang out' with someone as dangerous as me! I'll grant your wish, but only because I appreciate your bravery. However, you will realize that talking to someone like me is a dangerous endeavor."

Sashi: "If you say so."

Naeko: "How about I scare you off with the horrific stories of how my dangerous chemical weapons have terrorized people all over the globe! Then you will realize the power of the Ultimate Mad Scientist!"

Naeko began telling me some obviously false stories of how he conquered the world with his "chemical weapons" while I listened in amusement and disbelief.

Naeko and I grew a little closer today.

Naeko: "......."

Sashi: "......."

This is a little awkward.

Sashi: "Soo, how are you doi—"

Naeko: "Stand back fool!"

Sashi: "Did I do something wrong?"

Naeko: "Didn't I warn you not to get too close to me!?"

Sashi: "Maybe. But even I do get close to me, you're not really going to hurt me, are you?"

Naeko: "What!? Are you questioning my power!?"

Sashi: "Pretty much."

Naeko: "So you aren't scared of the Ultimate Mad Scientist?"

Sashi: "Not one bit."

Naeko: "Oh. That's rather disappointing."

Sashi: "I was right then? You aren't really going hurt anyone, you're just trying to scare them away."

Naeko: "AHHH!"

I knew this guy wasn't as tough as he made himself out to be. I'm pretty sure it was obvious to everyone who met him that he's completely harmless.

Sashi: "If you are trying to scare people away, you have to be more threating than that."

Naeko: "Perhaps, my plans weren't evil enough! Or maybe my evil laugh was not feracious enough! Ahahahaha! Ahahahahaha! Ahahahaha!"

I don't think he's getting the point here.

Sashi: "That's enough Naeko. Honestly, I think your evil laugh is already perfect."

Naeko: "Really?"

Sashi: "Yes, really. I don't think your evil laugh has anything to do with how threatening you are."

Naeko: "Then was it my evil plans?"

Sashi: "No. Well actually yes. But it's not because they aren't 'evil enough'. It's because over-the-top evil plans that you see in sci-fi movies do not scare people off."

Naeko: "Wait. Are you telling me that all these efforts to scare people off were ineffective the whole time?"

Sashi: "Yeah."

Naeko: "Then should I just drop the mad-scientist persona in the first place? Maybe I should use some other method?"

Sashi: "First of all, I don't think you should drop your mad-scientist persona."

Naeko: "Why do you think that?"

Sashi: "I think it suits you well. It helps you stand out from the crowd. Mostly, it's just entertaining."

Naeko: "Thanks?"

Did Naeko just say "thanks" to me? I never thought that would ever happen.

Naeko: "Then I will continue you being the Ultimate Mad Scientist! Ahahahaha!"

Sashi: "You do that. Also, why are you even trying to scare people off in the first place? That's how you make enemies rather than friends. You don't want that, do you?"

Naeko: "WHAT! You say I shouldn't scare people away from me!? That is utterly foolish! You don't understand anything!"

Sashi: "Did I say something wrong?"

Naeko: "Everything you said was wrong! You don't know anything! Now, begone from my sight!"

Naeko kicked me out of his room and slammed the door shut. Why was he so furious? Did I accidently trigger something inside him? I hope he will explain it to me next time we talk. Despite his outburst earlier, Naeko is obviously not as evil as he says. He basically confirmed that his evil scientist persona was fake. He does it to scare people away, but why does he feel the need to do that? While we got a little closer, I still feel like me and Naeko still have a long way to go.

Friendship Fragments 2/6: Naeko

After my conversation with Nakeo ended abruptly, I headed back to my room. It already was already dark. I probably don't have much left of the day before nighttime starts. However, just as I was about to rest on my bed.

Ding dong, bing bong.

Monokuma: "Attention, everyone. It is now 10:00 P.M. As such, it is officially nighttime. Remember that you cannot go to the gym nor the dining hall at night. Murders also cannot be committed during this time, so please wait until the next morning to start killing. Now then, goodnight everyone."

Nighttime already? Some much has happened today. I should just try to get some rest. I put my body under the covers and slowly drifted off to sleep.

.....................

Ding dong, bing bong.

Monokuma: "Good morning everyone. If you heard this announcement, that means that is 7:00 A.M and nighttime is officially over. The dining hall and gym will now be open, and you're free to kill as much as you want. Get ready for another beautiful day in your killing school semester."

I guess it's already morning. I should head out to the dining hall like Yemon suggested after I get ready. After I got dressed and took a shower, I headed out of my room. However, Emnei was waiting outside like last time. Worried, I rang the doorbell to my room. Emnei opened the door, clearly looking distraught.

Sashi: "Good morning Emnei. I was wondering if we could head to the dining hall together like last time."

Emnei: "Sorry, but I don't want to. At least not right now."

Sashi: "What? Why not? We all promised we would come to the dining hall together every morning."

Emnei: "We never promised. It was just an idea. It's not like we were forced to stick to it. Tetsu and Chimon aren't following it either."

Sashi: "I guess. But I thought you were different from Tetsu and Chimon. I thought you would want to socialize with everyone."

Emnei: "I do want to socialize with everyone."

Sashi: "Then what's the issue? Please tell me what's wrong."

Emnei: "It's Doryo. Earlier this morning, I just woke up from a horrible nightmare. It was a nighttime about one of being killed and all of the students being executed at the class trial. However, nighttime was almost over, so I waited in my room until the announcement came. I then came out of my room. While I was awake from that terrible nightmare, there was still a bit of tears in my eyes, as the fear was still in me. I was still scared of me or someone else dying. I tried to hide my tears, but as soon as I walked out of the hotel, Doryo saw me. He called me a 'bitch' and 'pussy'. He said I was a total 'disgrace of a man' and threatened to beat me up if I ever cried in public again."

Sashi: "Doryo? Don't listen to a word that guy says. He's just a giant asshole."

Emnei: "But the thing is, he is probably right."

Sashi: "What the hell are you saying Emnei? How could he be right?"

Emnei: "While he shouldn't have threatened me like that, it's true that I'm a complete coward. I cry over the littlest of reasons."

Sashi: "Come on, Emnei. I don't think it's unnatural to cry in a killing game. This situation is horrible, so I can't blame you for being so upset."

Emnei: "No, but it's the fact that nobody else seems to be crying. While I try to hold in my tears, everyone else seems to be fine. At the dining hall yesterday, no one seemed to be even remotely sad. I'm truly a disgrace as a man. No not just a man, a disgrace as a human being in general."

Sashi: "Emnei, I don't think you should be so hard on yourself. Everyone handles certain situation differently. Some people are just more emotional than others. In fact, I bet half of those people were just as sad as you. They were just very good at hiding it. I don't think you are a disgrace at all."

Emnei: "Thank-thank you."

Sashi: "Always happy to help."

Emnei: "But still. Doryo is probably in the dining hall right now. I don't want to see him after our awful encounter earlier."

Sashi: "Honestly, that guy is a total coward. I don't think he has the balls to hurt you in front of everyone else. Even if he did, someone would call him out on it immediately. I don't think you are in any danger."

Emnei: "You're right. Honestly though, I just hate him in general. I don't want to even be in the same room as him."

Sashi: "I get how you feel, but there's nothing you can do about it. In life, you have to interact with people you hate. Rather than focus on the people you despise, focus on the people you love. Aren't there people there that you would like to socialize with? If so, then you shouldn't be so afraid."

Emnei: "Alright. I'll head to the dining hall with you."

After I encouraged Emnei, he headed to the dining hall with me. In there was everyone except Chimon and Tetsu.

Yemon: "Oh there you two are. I thought you guys actually forgot about our meeting for a second."

Sashi: "Chimon and Tetsu aren't here though."

Marika: "I guess Chimon really was serious about not coming here."

Renora: "That's a shame. I was really hoping that he would socialize with us."

Yemon: "Well that's not our problem. If he chooses to distrust people, than that's his problem."

Kando: "That's a real shame. I have to say though. While this situation is awful, I really appreciate socializing with all you people. I never got to interact with many people at my home, so this is really a new learning experience for me. That's why it's a shame Chimon doesn't want to come here, because I would like to socialize with him."

Renjiro: "Naw, bro. With people like him, you're better off ignoring them. If you try to socialize with those types of people, it will only end up hurting you in the end."

Sashi: "Hey, let's not say that. We don't know anything about Chimon as a person. He might just be really paranoid of dying. We shouldn't judge people with knowing them."

Gyo Shin: "Well if he refuses to interact with us, then I don't think we can get to know him. If that's his wish, than we shouldn't bother him. This is a killing game after all, so I can't really blame him. After all, it's every person for themselves."

Renora: "Well I don't think that's true at all. I think having a good relationship with everyone is key to prevent murders."

Gyo Shin: "Well that's how you get betrayed."

Emnei: "Gyo Shin, is something wrong? You're starting to talk like Chimon."

Gyo Shin: "What are you talking about? There's nothing wrong with me. I'm just saying we shouldn't trust people so easily."

Yemon: "Well all this talk about murders is running the mood, so let's just wait for the food to be ready."

We started leisurely chatting with each other while Nori cooked us some more food. After we the food was finished, we instantly gobbled it up. In a couple of minutes, we were all finished.

Renjiro: "May I have all of your attention please?"

Sashi: "What is it, Renjiro."

Renjiro: "Yesterday, I was using the gym bathroom, when I noticed that one of the tiles on the bathroom wall was sticking out. When I touched it, a bunch of the wall tiles dropped down below the floor, revealing a hidden passage. Inside were a bunch of weapons like spears, mallets, knifes, and crossbows."

Yemon: "Now that you mention it. I saw the same thing but didn't want to tell anybody in case they used the weapons in there."

Sashi: "So there's no doubt that the hidden passageway exists. But why did you tell us Renjiro? Wouldn't it be better if less people knew about it?"

Renjiro: "I just thought we should mention it in case we ever do need any weapons. It's always important to know every location in this killing game."

Chiyo: "I guess you're right."

After Renjiro finished his story, I headed back to my room. I can't just stand around though. There must be something I can do.

FREE TIME START

Who should I talk to now? I guess I'll continue talking with Naeko because it feels like there's more to his story. I headed towards his door and rang the doorbell once again. Just like last time, Naeko opened the door.

Naeko: "What is it now?"

Sashi: "Don't be so disappointed Naeko, I just wanted to hang out with you again."

Naeko: "Fine. How about you search the infirmary with me? There has to be something I can use for my evil science experiments."

Me and Naeko searched the infirmary for any materials that Naeko can use in his experiments.

Naeko and I grew a little closer today.

Naeko: "......."

Naeko seemed to drift his eyes away from me. He must still be upset about what happened last time.

Sashi: "Um, Naeko. Are you still mad at me?"

Naeko: "FOOL! I am the Ultimate Mad Scientist; I am always angry at people!"

Sashi: "Wait, let me rephrase the question. Are you still upset about what I said?"

Naeko: "No it's okay."

Even though Naeko said it was okay, he still looked upset about it.

Sashi: "Why did me asking why you are trying to scare away others make you so angry? Can you explain it to me?"

Naeko: "I'd rather not talk about it right now."

Right now? Does that mean he will talk about it at some point?

Sashi: "Alright Naeko. I won't talk about it if you don't want me to."

Naeko: "Thanks for being considerate."

Why is Naeko suddenly being so nice? It's like I saw a completely different side of him.

Sashi: "What should we talk about? Hmmm. Wait, I got it. Naeko, you say you are the Ultimate Chemical Scientist."

Naeko: "Ultimate Mad Scientist actually."

Sashi: "Well whatever. I was just wondering. What field of chemistry to you specify in?"

Naeko: "Pfft. Do you really need to ask? I specify in the chemistry of evil! Ahahaha!"

Sashi: "You're not going to tell me, are you."

Naeko: "That is correct. How about you guess then. What field of chemistry do you think I specify in? I bet you're smart enough to figure it out."

Alright, so Naeko says he does chemistry of evil, but that's obviously not true. Then what is it? He does mention potions a lot, so maybe.... Wait, I think I got it.

Sashi: "You tend to mention potions a lot, so maybe you make drugs and medicine? So that would make you a pharmaceutical chemist?"

Naeko: "What!? You managed to figure it out! I'm truly impressed by your genius!"

Sashi: "Hahaha. I don't really consider myself a genius. You are definitely a genius though."

Naeko: "Well obviously. I am an Ultimate after all."

Sashi: "So Naeko. Why do you specify in that certain type of chemistry anyways?"

Naeko: "Because it helps save lives. It hurts me deeply that there are sick and mentally ill people all over this world that can't live a normal live because there's no proper medicine around. Still to this day, there are several diseases that can't be cured. Finding cures for these diseases is my one goal in life."

Naeko of all people, having an extremely noble and heroic goal in life? He says he's evil when in reality he is the complete opposite of that.

Sashi: "That's very virtuous of you Naeko. That doesn't really fit the Ultimate Mad Scientist though."

Naeko: "But of course. I am not truly the Ultimate Mad Scientist. That is simply a façade."

Sashi: "Well it's great that you have such a great goal in life."

Naeko: "Is there anything else you want to ask me?"

Sashi: "Yeah. I was wondering, what hobbies do you have?"

Naeko: "Hobbies!? Ridiculous! The Ultimate Mad Scientist does not have time for hobbies, as he is too busy with his evil plans!"

It feels like he's rapidly switching back and forth on whether he is actually the Ultimate Mad Scientist.

Sashi: "Is that the truth though?"

Naeko: "Uhh. Sort of."

Why was Naeko being so awkward when he answered my question? Was it another sensitive topic for him?

Sashi: "What hobbies are those?"

Naeko: "I guess reading manga, watching anime, and playing videogames."

This guy isn't really tough at all not matter how much he tries to paint himself as such. He's honestly just a closet geek.

Sashi: "Really? I watch anime and play videogames sometimes? What genre do you like?"

Naeko: "I'm honestly not sure. I only played a videogame or watched anime like two or three times before."

Sashi: "Why is that?"

Naeko: "Ummmm. I don't really want to talk about it right now. Maybe later. I need to collect my thoughts first."

Sashi: "Alright, Naeko. I'll leave for now. I'll give you some time to collect your thoughts, but when I come back, I hope you can tell me more."

Naeko: "That sounds good."

It feels like I'm really getting to know the true Naeko now. He seems to finally be opening up to me. We really are starting to become good friends. But it seems like there's still more to Naeko that he hasn't shared yet.

Friendship Fragments 3/6: Naeko

After my wonderful conversation with Naeko, I headed back to my room. There still seemed to be more time left in the day though. I wonder what else I can do? Maybe I should talk to Naeko some more after I give him some time to collect his thoughts.

I rested in my bed for a bit before heading outside again. I rang Naeko's doorbell once again.

Naeko: "Sashi? You again? You really don't want to leave me alone, do you?"

Sashi: "Well I was just wondering if we could do something else?"

Naeko: "We already did something earlier! Oh well. It's not like I have any other friends to spend time with. How about I tell you some of my evil plans? Some of them are sure to make you laugh."

Naeko told me some of my evil plans while I tried my best to laugh at them.

Naeko and I grew a little closer today.

Sashi: "So Naeko. Have you finally collected your thoughts? Are you ready to tell me now?"

Naeko: "Yes. I think I'm ready to tell my story. You see I was born in a really poor neighborhood growing up. Even though I was an only child, my mom struggled to find enough food to feed us. We were usually only able to have around one to two meals a day. Being able to have lunch is a blessing in of itself."

Sashi: "Really Naeko? That's awful. Nobody should have to live in such a horrible environment."

Naeko: "It truly is awful. But if there's any positive I can say to living in such a poor area, is that it's an excellent learning experience. It gives you good street smarts and teaches you the importance of responsibility and earning things on your own."

Sashi: "I guess that's true. I have to say though. Eventhough the situation we currently in is probably even worse than where you grew up, at least we get to have good living conditions. Food, shelter, water, anything we possibly need has been provided to us. It's nice to have that for once at least."

Naeko: "Yeah believe me. If it weren't for the fact that this is a killing game, I would be thrilled to live here. This place is a palace compared to where I grew up. Yet again, where I grew up was sort of survival of the fittest as well, only with the murder being much less blatant and actual laws to prevent such actions."

Sashi: "Did you live in a dangerous environment Naeko?"

Naeko: "You don't even know the gist of it. Street gangs are all over the place, committing crime after crime. One day the neighborhood seems completely peaceful, and the other day you find a dead body in your trash can. I can't even keep track of how many times my apartment has been broken into or vandalized in some way. In that way, it truly is survival of the fittest. Those who aren't strong don't survive. You can never let you guard down and you have to be nice to everybody, even your worst enemies."

Sashi: "I can't even imagine living in a situation like that. I grew up in the big city life, so urban areas like that are new to me."

Naeko: "Well, I say I can't imagine living in a big city like you either. We both live in drastically different environments. You probably don't have any street smarts, do you?"

Sashi: "I guess? I consider myself above average in terms of intelligence in general though."

Naeko: "Hmm. How about this? I will ask you a question and you answer to the best of your abilities. Then we will see how street smart you truly are."

Sashi: "Alright. Bring it on."

Naeko: "Let's just say you're just taking a walk on the street when you suddenly see someone pull a gun on a young woman and steal all their belongings. What would you do in this situation?"

Sashi: "What do you mean what would I do? I would obviously take footage of the attacker and call the police."

Naeko: "Nope, that's wrong."

Sashi: "What are you saying? Are you saying I should just do nothing? It's basic human decency to report crimes when you see them. Otherwise the police won't be able to find the criminal and help the victim. I'm not a sociopath."

Naeko: "Actually pretending that you saw nothing is the best course of action. If the criminal saw you calling the police or filming them, you would get gunned down immediately."

Sashi: "Then maybe I would go somewhere safe and far away from the scene and then call the police."

Naeko: "Nope. That's also not a good idea. If the police were called, the criminal would know immediately and try to hunt you down. As I said, the best thing to do is to do nothing at all. Just because something is a good thing to do doesn't mean it's a smart thing to do."

Sashi: "Wow Naeko, I didn't know you were so knowledgeable. You're both book and street smart. The best of both worlds. You're truly amazing."

Naeko: "Stop it. You're being too kind. The Ultimate Mad Scientist doesn't deserve such kindness."

I smiled at Naeko as he started to blush.

Sashi: "I guess I truly am street dumb."

Naeko: "Don't worry about it. That's pretty typical of a city person. Those skills aren't needed where you live anyways."

Sashi: "Well I have to say; I learned so much about you today. Your story was really interesting but also really sad. It was wonderful talking to you though."

Naeko: "No problem. I like talking to you as well. Do you have any other questions or are we done for the day?"

Sashi: "I do have one more question."

Naeko: "What is it?"

Sashi: "About your ultimate talent, how did you get into chemistry anyways? Outside of school that's not something a high school student typically gets to practice."

Naeko: "AHH! W-W-Well I don't really know to be honest."

What was with Naeko's reaction right there? Is there even more to his story that I haven't already learned.

Sashi: "Is it something you aren't comfortable talking about? If you don't want to discuss it, that's perfectly fine."

Naeko: "It's just that I already told you so much that I don't want to hide anything more from you."

Sashi: "I don't care Naeko. I'm sure there are lots of people who have secrets they don't want to tell other people."

Naeko: "Thank you Sashi. And yes, that is a question I'm not comfortable answering, so please don't bring it up again."

Sashi: "Of course Naeko."

I never knew Naeko had such a terrible upbringing. With his evil scientist persona, it was very hard to take him seriously, which is why it's surprising to hear something so serious from him. Despite him coming from such a poor neighborhood, it doesn't seem to have negatively affected him in the slightest. At heart, he is a really smart and nice guy who puts up a façade of being evil for some unexplained reason. While we have gotten much closer, I still feel like there's more to Naeko's background that he hasn't said yet.

Friendship Fragments 4/6: Naeko

After I finished talking to Naeko, I headed back to my room once again. But as soon as I headed back, an announcement came from the monitor. Huh? Is it nighttime already? It still feels like there's time left in the day. No that can't be it. The bell hasn't rung yet. In that case, what is this announcement for?

Monokuma: "Attention all students of Hope's Peak Academy. Please head to the gym as soon as possible. There's an important announcement to be made."

Head to the gym? For what reason? This feels fishy, but I don't think I can take no for an answer, so I immediately headed out of my room. I then walked towards the gym and came inside. Inside were the rest of the students, who all seemed to be already waiting there.

Yemon: "There's Sashi. Now everyone has arrived."

Emnei: "I have a bad feeling about all of this."

Doryo: "Of course you do, you fucking wuss! You always seem to have a bad feeling about everything!"

Akina: "Yeah shut the fuck up Emnei, you're not a man at all! You're acting like a woman!"

Nori: "Hey! That misogynistic comment was not necessary! Besides, you are a woman too!"

Akina: "Oh what's wrong. Are your feelings hurt because you're are an emotional woman?"

Nori: "Will you just shut up! You! You! You bitch!

Akina: "Bitch!?"

Wait was Akina actually hurt by what Nori said. Oh lord. She's not one of those people who constantly says shit but can't take it back.

Renora: "Stop fighting everyone! Let's just stay calm and wait for the announcement."

Nori: "Yeah you're right. I'm sorry about that. I just get really angry when people say sexist things, especially from a woman."

Sashi: "I don't think you need to apologize Nori. To be honest, Akina kind of deserved that at this point. It's perfectly understandable why you got angry."

Yemon: "I got to say, never in my life have I met people so blatantly prejudiced. I meet sexist people all the time, but usually they try to hide it or do it unintentionally. Even the most misogynistic people I've met don't actively say they hate women."

Yemon has a point. It's almost like Akina and Doryo are specifically trying to be as prejudiced as possible to anger people.

Marika: "Please pay no mind to them. They are simply ignorant in their views of people. Picking an argument with those kinds of people is pointless, as they will simply never agree that they were wrong."

Monokuma: "I see that you students are getting along wonderfully. Puhuhuhu."

Monokuma had suddenly appeared in the gym within a blink of an eye.

Emnei: "Oh, it's you again."

Chimon: "Why did you bring us here?"

Monokuma: "I have to say, I've been keeping watch all this time and I have just one question. Why the hell isn't anyone killing anybody else!?"

Kando: "No matter what you say, we are not going to kill anybody. We will never agree to your plans."

Marika: "It seems your killing game has failed Monokuma. Did you honestly think we would commit murder so easily?"

Monokuma: "Well I'm not giving up! This game will never end until someone ends up dead! Until then, you are all trapped here for the rest of your lives!"

Sashi: "Well I say that's never happening! We are going to escape from here, and it's not going to be in the way you want!"

Monokuma: "How, may I say, will you able to escape without killing anybody? Don't tell me you are still relying on the government or the police. I already told you, they're not going to help you. Almost three days have passed. If they were going to help you, they would have done it way earlier by now."

Chiyo: "Well I don't believe you!"

Monokuma: "It seems you are all determined that nobody would die. In that case, I think a motive is necessary."

Emnei: "Motive?"

Monokuma: "A motive to kill of course. The reason you all aren't out there killing is because you don't have a good enough reason to do so. It's a real shame. I spent all this time setting up a killing game and you people are too self-righteous to kill anybody. No matter the circumstances, you all think murder is wrong. I say that society is becoming too pure!"

Gyo Shin: "Just get to the point."

Monokuma: "Since you all need a motive to kill, I have decided to provide a motive to some of you. That is sure to get your hands dirty."

Chimon: "What is this motive?"

Monokuma: "On your monopods, a new section has been added. This is called the motive. Under this section, the motive that is currently in place will be shown. How about you all try it now?"

Fudoki: "You say that as if there's going to be more than one motive."

Monokuma: "Puhuhuhu. Who can say? If you all survive the first class trial, then I will probably use a different motive. Because using the same motive again is just so boring."

Yemon: "Holy Shit."

Yemon seemed to be utterly shocked in his tone of voice. He sounded too surprised to say much emotion.

Sashi: "Is something wrong Yemon?"

Yemon: "I just checked the motive on my monopod. You aren't going to believe what's on there."

Instantly, everyone started pulling out their monopods and pressed the motive section on their monopod. When I tapped "motive", a new screen showed up. However, it said "no motive has been given to Sashi Asuka." I don't see anything. So why was Yemon in such disbelief? My question was soon answered as I heard some of the students' reactions.

Chiyo: "EEEEKKKKK!"

Kando: "You can't be serious! There is no way this is true!"

Fudoki: "What the fuck is this!? What kind of sick bastard thought this up!?"

Everyone seemed to be in utter shock. I took a glance at Emnei, who seemed to be showing absolutely no emotion. He looked completely terrified, as if he could snap at any moment.

Sashi: "Emnei? What's wrong?"

Emnei: "................"

He had no response. He was utterly paralyzed in fear. Too scared to respond, or even listen. Worried, I put a hand on Emnei, trying to get him to come to his senses.

Sashi: "Emnei! Can someone please explain to me what's going on?"

Naeko: "Yeah, I don't understand either."

Renora: "Nothing showed up under the motive for me."

Monokuma: "Only some of you have actually received the motive. Because of how extreme the motive is, I felt it was unfair to give everyone it. Otherwise, everyone would start killing due to the utter despair it brings. Ahahaha! Oh well, I guess I have to explain it to those who don't understand. Basically I gave half of you students a certain motive. Here's how the motive works. If someone isn't killed in 36 hours, then the most important person in your life will be murdered. It could be your boyfriend, your parents, your brother, your best friend, anything goes."

I was completely and utterly shocked. How could someone even do something like that? It's just so awful. But despite everyone being in complete panic, there was one person who was completely calm, almost disturbingly so.

Chimon: "Who received the motive?"

Monokuma: "How stupid do you think I am? There's no way I'm revealing information that might lead to who the killer is. If you want to know, start asking around."

Sashi: "Seriously! How on earth can you do that? Why would you do something so awful? You're basically forcing people to commit murder at this point."

Monokuma: "I'm not forcing anybody. I'm just giving some encouragement, that's all."

Nori: "How the hell can that be considered encouragement!? You make me sick!"

Monokuma: "You people are all trying to blame me. Look, if one of you decides to commit murder, that's all on them. It's their fault for committing murder. Just because I gave a motive doesn't mean you have to commit murder."

Marika: "While I understand how awful this is, may you all please tell me who received the motive. By their reactions, Fudoki, Chiyo, Emnei, Kando, and Yemon must have gotten it. But who are the other three? I didn't receive the motive."

Nori: "I got it."

Akina: "Me too."

Marika: "Alright, so you two have received the motive as well. That means that Fudoki, Chiyo, Emnei, Kando, Yemon, Nori, and Akina have all gotten the motive. That's one person short. That means that someone has the motive and refuses to tell us. Probably because it would be inconvenient for that person if they decided to murder. Now to everyone who received the motive, especially the one who stayed silent, I please encourage you not to commit murder. We don't know if Monokuma is even telling the truth. He could just be lying to get us to kill for all we know. Would any of you really want to commit murder for a potential lie that Monokuma made up?"

Emnei: "But what if he's telling the truth. Do you expect us to just let our family members die?"

Marika: "While I understand you might feel the need to protect your family members, killing another person is not the way to go about it. Even if Monokuma is telling the truth and your important person dies, that's not your fault, it's the mastermind's fault."

Sashi: "Besides, I doubt the mastermind even has access to whoever is important to us."

Yemon: "Exactly. There's no way I'm going to believe what Monokuma says. And you all should think the same way as well. No matter what, we can't play the killing game!"

As Yemon and Marika spoke, our moods were suddenly put at ease. No matter the motive, we could never kill anyone. It's just wrong.

Chiyo: "You know what? Screw your motive Monokuma. It won't have any effect on us."

Kando: "I agree with her."

Marika: "It's just like we said earlier, we will never kill anyone."

Monokuma: "You serious? Awww. And I spent all this time coming up with the motive, only for it to go to complete waste. But I'm not backing down on my words. If nobody is killed in 36 hours, then your important person will die. With that, I say goodbye, because it is now nighttime."

Bing bong, ding dong.

Monokuma: "Attention, everyone. It is now 10:00 P.M. As such, it is officially nighttime. Remember that you cannot go to the gym nor the dining hall at night. Murders also cannot be committed during this time, so please wait until the next morning to start killing. Now then, goodnight everyone."

Sashi: "It's nighttime."

Emnei: "I guess we'll head to our rooms then."

Yemon: "Goodnight everyone. Remember what me and Marika said."

I was about to walk with Emnei to our rooms but decided against it. He probably needs to be left alone for a while. As such, I headed to my room by myself. I then laid on the bend and went to sleep.

................................................

Monokuma: "Good morning everyone. If you heard this announcement, that means that is 7:00 A.M and nighttime is officially over. The dining hall and gym will now be open, and you're free to kill as much as you want. Get ready for another beautiful day in your killing school semester."

Another night has passed by. I guess I better get ready and head out now. After I took a shower and got dressed, I headed out the door. Just outside was Emnei. However, he looked very upset. His eyes were watery, and he had a very prominent frown.

Sashi: "Good morning Emnei. Why do you look so down? Is it about last night? I thought we agreed that Monokuma was lying. Don't be so upset about it."

Emnei: "The problem isn't whether I believe or not. It's whether someone else believes it."

Sashi: "I don't think that will be an issue. It seems everyone was unanimous in their agreement to not kill."

Emnei: "What about the person who didn't reveal that they had the motive? There's only one reason they hid it. They're planning to kill someone."

Sashi: "But that was before Marika and Yemon encouraged everyone. I doubt they are still planning to kill someone if they ever were."

Emnei: "How do you know that though? Do you really honestly think that everything will go right? That nobody will ever betray us? Someone might believe the motive and kill someone because of it."

Sashi: "What has gotten into you, Emnei? You're starting to sound like Chimon."

Emnei: "Well, I'm starting to think that Chimon was right about all this. He might have been a complete ass about it, but he does make a compelling point."

Sashi: "Emnei, stop thinking some depressing thoughts! It's making me upset."

Emnei: "I'm just so worried that me or someone else might die! I-I don't ever want that to happen! I hate this place! I-I-I JUST CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!"

Emnei suddenly started bawling. He looked utterly distraught.

Sashi: "Emnei! It's going to be okay; I promise. Even if something does happen, we can't let that ruin us. And no matter what, I will absolutely not let anything happen to you, so don't worry about you being killed. I'll protect you regardless of what happens."

Emnei: "A-Alright."

Emnei, still having tears in his eyes, gave a slight smile at me.

Sashi: "So are you ready to head to the dining hall?"

Emnei: "You bet I am."

It seemed like Emnei has finally come back to normal. Thank god, I thought I lost him for a second. We then headed to the dining hall. Like last time, everyone was here except Chimon and Tetsu.

Renora: "There's Sashi and Emnei. I knew you guys would come; you always do."

Yemon: Everyone, I have a major announcement to make. Marika, can you get Tetsu and Chimon to come, because this is extremely important."

Marika: "Alright. I'm on it."

Sashi: "What's this about Yemon?"

Yemon: "I'll tell you once everyone comes here."

As we waited for the others, I noticed that the same students sit at the same tables. At one table, there was Yemon, Renjiro, and Akina. At another table there was Kando, Fudoki, and Naeko. Gyo Shin, Nori, and Renora sat also sat on a table. Me and Emnei of course sat together. Chiyo, Marika, and Doryo all sat by themselves. Even though we have only been here for three days, it seemed like people have started to form groups of friends. Marika and Chiyo I think are just equally friends with everyone. Doryo, Tetsu, and Chimon I don't think have any friends. But that really concerns me, except for Doryo. However, I just have a distinct feeling that this will all change eventually. As I continued thinking, Chimon and Tetsu came in.

Yemon: "You two really came? Color me surprised. Thank you so much for listening to me though."

Chimon: "Let's get this over with. What's this important announcement?"

Yemon: "Alright everyone. I know you all have been worried about the motive Monokuma gave last night. I bet you all are still wondering about the survival of your important people. As long as people are thinking about that, a murder might happen. So, in order to prevent that, we're having a party."

Nori: "A party!? That sounds amazing!"

Marika: "But how will a party keep us from committing murders?"

Yemon: "Here's the catch. This party will continue until the motive time limit will run out. Then nobody will ever have the motive to kill anymore. And participation is necessary. If two people or more are left out, then they are in immediate danger. But this isn't just for survival. This is a party after all, so the most important thing is that you all have fun. Hopefully, this party will be so fun that you'll totally forget about the motive."

Renjiro: "When's the party starting?"

Yemon: "Since I want this party to be as good as possible, we will start at exactly four this afternoon."

Chimon: "Four this afternoon? Are you stupid? If you really want to prevent murders, you should start this party immediately."

Yemon: "Well it takes some time to set up the party. Besides I don't think any murders would happen in such a short time limit. But if it's really necessary, I encourage you all to keep an eye on each other until then. Instead of hanging out by yourself, hang out with other people. If anybody is by themselves, I will hang out with them. Don't worry about it. I'm very friendly."

Doryo: "Goddamnit! I guess I'm spending a good chunk of the day with you!"

Yemon: "Yep, that's right Doryo. Looks like you will be spending some good quality time with little old me."

Nori: "Hey Yemon. Can I please set up the party? I'm actually a really good hostess."

Yemon: "Of course. I was planning on having you help anyways. Since you have to hang out with me, you will be helping out too Doryo."

Doryo: "Fuck."

Yemon: "And that's all I needed to announce for now. You can all do your own thing now. Just make sure you're not by yourself."

After we finished eating, we all began to leave the cafeteria. We all seemed to form groups so nobody would be by themselves. Now the question is, who should I hang out with? This isn't just for fun; this is also for survival. So, I should pick someone I can trust.

FREE TIME START

I guess I'll continue hanging out with Naeko. He's not even remotely dangerous, even if he pretends to be. I saw Naeko head out the cafeteria and started to talk to him.

Sashi: "Hey, Naeko. You want to do something?"

Naeko: "Sure. How about we keep watch on all the students to make sure they're not doing anything dangerous before the party."

Me and Naeko kept watch on our classmates.

Naeko and I grew a little closer today.

Naeko: "You're here because you want to know more of my life story, right?"

Sashi: "Sure. I'm fine with that."

Naeko: "I already told you about the poor environment I was raised in, but that's not the only major problem in my life. Another major challenge in my life was my mother. My mother is my only parent and I'm an only child."

Sashi: "What happened to your father if you don't mind me asking?"

Naeko: "Gone. Probably in prison or something. I have never even met him before in my life, so I don't know what he is up to. See, I was born out of a wedlock. Actually, not just out of a wedlock, my mother was pregnant at age 15.

Sashi: "15!? That's really young!"

Naeko: "Yeah it is pretty young. What makes it worse is that my father was apparently a much older man who apparently physically and emotionally abused his girlfriend. And as soon as he found his girlfriend was pregnant, he dumped her and abandoned the child and any support he had to give."

Sashi: "That's horrible! How can anybody do something so awful!"

Naeko: "Which is why I'm actually kind of glad I never met my father. Though to be honest, my mother isn't much better. She is an extremely dysfunctional drug addict who spends most of her time getting high rather than taking care of me. The drugs also clearly affected her mood. One day she was perfectly calm, and the other day she is screaming and crying. Her anger was often taken out on me. She frequently physically and emotionally abused me. There was even a single instance where she kicked me out of the house, and I had to live on the streets for two weeks because I had to gall to say that she needs therapy."

Sashi: "I have literally no words. How can you do that to your own child!?

Naeko: "She never even planned on having me in the first place. The pregnancy was accidental and by the time she realized it, it was too late for an abortion. I'm honestly surprised she didn't just toss me in the dumpster by the time she had me."

Sashi: "Wait, I have a question. If you come from a poor background, how would your mom even afford enough drugs to become an addict in the first place?"

Naeko: "Well the thing is, our situation wasn't like this at the start. My mom used to have a stable job, a minimum wage one, but a job, nonetheless. However, instead of spending money to support her family, she decided to spend it on illegal substances instead. She instantly got addicted and almost as quickly lost her job and eventually our old apartment. Now she has to live life as a petty thief in order to fuel her massive addiction."

Sashi: "She should be sent to a drug rehabilitation center."

Naeko: "That's what I would like, but unfortunately there's nothing like that close to where I live. We don't even have a vehicle to travel to a place like that anyways."

Sashi: "Then why don't you call a number for it? I'm sure there's some way that they could help her."

Naeko: "We don't have a phone either. There's no payphones around either."

Sashi: "Wait, so is there nothing that could be done about it?"

Naeko: "Not until I can get a good job. I already work as a cashier at a crummy grocery store, but most of the money is spent on drugs anyways. I need to earn an income that is large enough to both support basic living conditions for us both and my mother's drug addiction until we can get her rehabilitated. That's why I'm studying so hard on the subject of chemistry. Being a chemist is both a job I will be good at and a job I think I'll enjoy. Plus, it provides a decent salary. That's why I'm trying so hard to get a decent education. Hopefully, we can save enough money for me to go to college, where I can finally get a decent job, but it's going to take a long time. But I'll never lose hope, because as long as I keep trying, I know I can help my mother."

Sashi: "If your mother is such a horrible person, then why do you want to help her so bad?"

Naeko: "Because I believe that her bad behavior is not a result of her personality, but her drug addiction. Even though I sometimes hate her for the way she treats me, I still feel the need to support my mother. She's the only family I got after all."

Sashi: "That's very forgiving of you, Naeko. I never knew you were such a nice person."

Naeko: "If you really think so."

Sashi: "So your desire to help your mother is why you haven't called the police on her yet?"

Naeko: "Pretty much. I don't have a phone, but if I went to the local police station and reported her, she would get arrested immediately. I would probably get a foster parent, but also likely lose contact of her forever. She would never get better, which is an outcome I definitely don't want."

Sashi: "Well thanks for telling me more of your story Naeko. I really hope that your mother gets better, and you get to live a more fulfilling life."

Naeko: "I hope so too."

I feel like the more I get to know about Naeko, the more depressed I get. Nobody has a right to live such an awful life. What hurts me even more is that I don't think very many people get to see this side of Naeko. I feel like several people, me included, just immediately brushed off Naeko as weird and delusional without really getting to know him. Despite all this, I still feel like there's still more to learn about him.

Friendship Fragments 5/6: Naeko

After we finished our conversation, me and Naeko were about to split up. However, there was still a few hours left before the party, so I decided to spend some more time with him.

Naeko: "Let me guess, you want to spend more time with me."

Sashi: "How did you know?"

Naeko: "Because that's all you have been doing for the past few days. You're getting kind of clingy."

Sashi: "Yeah I get that a lot."

Naeko: "Sashi, you say you like videogames and anime. How about you tell me about that since I don't have much experience?"

Me and Naeko started discussing videogames and anime.

Naeko and I grew a little closer today.

Naeko: "What do you want to do?"

Sashi: "I just want to learn some more about you."

Naeko: "I already told you basically my entire biography. What else is there to learn?"

Sashi: "I want to know why you are always trying to scare people away with your mad scientist persona. Is it to defend yourself in the harsh environment you grew up in?"

Naeko: "............"

Sashi: "What's wrong Naeko?"

Naeko: "That question brings back horrible memories for me."

Sashi: "Even worse than all the other things you already talked about?"

Naeko: "The thing is, it's not even the harshest or even the most difficult challenge in my life. It's just the most depressing for me."

Sashi: "What do you mean?"

Naeko: "Scaring people away from me reminds me of the thing I never had in years."

Sashi: "A good environment? Enough food to support a healthy life?"

Naeko: "No. I mean friends."

Sashi: "Oh, is that it? Are you just lonely Naeko?"

Naeko: "Yes, I always have been. Before I adopted my mad scientist persona, I was just an extremely geeky and socially awkward kid. This made me a social outcast and as a result, no one wanted to be around me. Even the nicest of people refused to interact with me in fear of being mocked. The popular kids bullied me while the unpopular kids ignored me. No matter what I did to blend in with my peers, it ended up making me looking even more awkward and less approachable. So, in order to make myself stand out more, I adopted this mad scientist persona that was inspired by the only manga I had read at the time. It actually worked, but not in a good way. More people approached me, not to be my friend, but to laugh at me. People found my antics hilarious, but in a way where they are laughing at me rather than laughing with me. I became known as the weird kid who thinks he's an evil scientist. I was seen as none other than an attraction at the zoo. People would walk up to me, only to take pictures with a dumb smile on their face. People used me for their own amusement. Some of my classmates even uploaded videos of me online where the comments were filled with nothing but mockery of me."

Sashi: "So the reason you became the Ultimate Mad Scientist wasn't to scare people away, but to bring more people to you?"

Naeko: "Well I tried to use it to scare bullies away, but it often ended up unsuccessful. But there was nothing else I could do. I was overweight with very muscle, lacking the strength or fitness to fight back. If I can't fight with my fists, I would fight with my words. But even when I tried to act tough, it made me look even more weak. First, I would try to yell at and call out those who attacked or harassed me, but it didn't convince them in the slightest. So, I decided to do something that would hopefully solve both of my problems. I became the Ultimate Mad Scientist. I was hoping I could be threatening enough to scare away my bullies but entertaining enough to make me stand out more. While I did stand out more and the bullies not longer attacked me, even if they weren't scared, the bullying became less physical and more emotionally damaging. I would honestly rather be punched and ignored than be filmed online and mocked by random strangers."

Sashi: "That's really sad Naeko. I feel really bad for you."

Naeko: "I don't deserve your pity. It's my fault for being so geeky and socially awkward. If only I was more normal, this would have never happened."

Sashi: "Naeko, some people are just like that. Some people aren't very good at social interaction. It's nothing to be ashamed about. It was wrong for people to judge you for something that you can't change no matter how much you try."

Naeko: "Thank you Sashi. You really cheered me up. I think you are truly the first person to actually care about me as a human being. For the first time in years, I can officially say I have a friend."

Sashi: "That's what I'm really good at. I know how to sympathize with people and understand their problems. People say I would be a good therapist."

Naeko: "I guess that would make you the Ultimate Therapist rather than the Ultimate Actress."

I gave a smile at Naeko and he smiled back. It really feels like I've gotten to know Naeko both as a person, and as the Ultimate Mad Scientist. We truly are good friends in every sense of the word. There's absolutely nothing that could break our bond.

Friendship Fragments 6/6: Naeko

After Naeko and I finished our conversation, I looked at the time on my Monopad. It was 3:55 PM, which means the party is about to start. Not wanting to be late, I quickly headed to the gym, where everyone except Fudoki were. A table was set up with all kinds of snacks and drinks on there. There was also a radio for music and a microphone up front. It looked like a setting for a party all right.

Yemon: "Why are you always one of the last people to come Sashi?"

Sashi: "I guess I'm not particularly good at time management."

Emnei: "Where's Fudoki?"

Yemon: "I don't know. We have been waiting for a while now and he still hasn't come. Did he forget about our promise?"

Chimon: "My guess is that he didn't want to come. Doesn't surprise me. He definitely is not the kind of person that attends parties."

Sashi: "I'm surprised you came Chimon. I thought you hated interacting with people and didn't want to get friendly with them in case you get betrayed."

Chimon: "I'm not planning on getting friendly with anyone. I'm only here for survival like Yemon planned."

Nori: "You don't need to be so cynical Chimon. This party isn't just for survival, it's also for having fun. If you try to avoid social interaction, then you won't have any fun."

Chimon: "I know a dumb social butterfly like you won't understand this, but not all people enjoy parties. I'm an introverted person who likes to be alone. I tend to find parties loud and obnoxious."

Renora: "I think you're more than just introverted. You are completely shielded from any sort of social interaction."

Chimon: "It's not my fault we are in a killing game. In this sort of game, you have to be shielded in order to survive."

Yemon: "Alright, Chimon. We get your point but please try not to bring up the killing game right now. Even though this party is meant to keep us safe from said game, this is primarily for our enjoyment. We won't have much fun if you keep downing the mood all the time."

Chimon: "Fine. I guess I'll just sit in a corner, not saying a word until it's all over."

Renjiro: "Hey Nori, you said you were a good hostess. Did you figure out what we will being doing?"

Nori: "I actually got a couple of ideas for activities and games we could do. Since there's a basketball court, I figured a basketball game can be played between Akina, Doryo, Renjiro, and Yemon.

Akina: "Really!? That sounds really fun!"

Doryo: "Just so you shitheads now, I'm not going easy on any of you people. Not even on a woman like Akina."

Akina: "Hey! Not all women are like that! Uh, I mean I'm not like all those other sissy women! I'm great at sports!"

Did I just hear Akina slip up? I knew she wasn't totally serious with her bias against women.

Nori: "Maybe after that we could have Gyo Shin do a performance for us. She's the Ultimate Clown, so I'm sure she could do something."

Gyo Shin: "I would, but I don't have any props or equipment to do what I normally do."

Nori: "Just tell some jokes or something."

Gyo Shin: "Alright."

Uh, oh. If these jokes are going to be like the ones, she told me when we first met, then this could be really cringy.

Nori: "Then maybe we could have a dance competition with some music from the radio. But that's not even the best part."

Nori then grabbed a glass bottle from the table and held it up in front of everyone.

Nori: "Guess what I found in the kitchen."

Kando: "Is that alcohol?"

Nori: "You bet your biscuits it is."

Yemon: "It was pretty irresponsible for Monokuma to allow minors to access something like that, but I'm not complaining. Let's get wasted!"

Renora: "Hell yeah!"

Alcohol? These people aren't serious, are they? I shouldn't be surprised though, considering they are teenagers and all. In awe, I whispered to Emnei.

Sashi: "I can already tell this is going to be very obnoxious."

Emnei: "That's a true statement if I ever heard one."

After Nori told her plans for the party, it began. First was the basketball game. The teams were Akina and Renjiro against Yemon and Doryo. Akina and Renjiro won in a landslide, while Doryo started screaming profanities at the other players. It wasn't long before Doryo got kicked out of the gym and had to stay in the hallway with Tetsu, who immediately left the gym as soon as the party began. Then Gyo Shin started telling offensive jokes, which of course made almost everyone except me laugh. By the time the dance party came around, I was already completely sick of the party. I soon grabbed some dinner that Nori made and headed out to the hallway. Right behind me was Emnei, who seemed to be just as fed-up as me.

Sashi: "That was very obnoxious. The worst thing about it though was the loud rap music that blasted all throughout the gym."

Emnei: "Even in the hallway, I can still clearly hear it."

Sashi: "Even though I'm generally an extroverted person, even that was too much for me."

Emnei: "I don't blame you."

Soon after we started talking in the hallway and finished our food, Kando came out.

Sashi: "Oh hi Kando. You're not going to join the dance competition?"

Kando: "No. I have to say. Even though I want to try to practice social interaction and try to make as many new friends as possible, I could not handle that party. I've never even been to a party before; don't tell me they are all like that."

Sashi: "Sorry, but almost all parties are like that, at least ones involving teenagers and young adults."

Kando: "That party was very rude. The way the students interacted with each other in that event was nothing like how my parents said people should act in public. These people don't even know basic social etiquette."

Emnei: "Well, parties aren't generally places where people try to act polite."

Kando: "Well I wouldn't know about that since I never been to one. Anyways, since I figured this would happen, I brought something to occupy us."

Sashi: "Is that a chessboard?"

Kando: "Yep. You both know how to play chess right? It's the most well-known board game in history."

Sashi: "Of course I know how to play. It's just that you're the Ultimate Chessmaster so you are pretty much guaranteed to win."

Kando: "You don't have to play against me if you don't want to. How about you two play against each other."

Emnei: "Alright that sounds good."

Me and Emnei began to play chess. Even though the game was very close, I ended up winning. Soon after, Naeko came out of the gym.

Sashi: "Hi Naeko. Why aren't you in the gym?"

Naeko: "I got kicked out."

Emnei: "Why?"

Naeko: "Because I yelled at Nori for drinking too much alcohol. I thought she was going to blackout and start vomiting. These people are fools, all of them."

Sashi: "I understand how you feel Naeko, but you shouldn't have yelled at her for that. If she wants to drink herself until she pukes, that's her problem. While it's good to advise that she stop drinking, yelling like that is what causes you to get kicked out."

Naeko: "Alcohol can be a potion fouler than the deadliest of poisons I have crafted with my own two hands! Calling them out on it was the right decision!"

Emnei: "I think that's an exaggeration."

While we four started talking, Chimon also came out of the gym.

Sashi: "There you are, Chimon. I didn't think you would last this long."

Chimon: "I did say I would stay in the corner and shut up, but I eventually got so sick of it that I had to leave."

Naeko: "What foolish thing are they doing now?"

Chimon: "They're playing Truth or Dare right now. That's when I knew I should leave before things get too weird."

Sashi: "I can't blame you for that. I can't even imagine what kind of dares they are planning on doing."

Kando: "Since you two are here, do you mind joining our game Naeko and Chimon?

Naeko: "Sure."

Chimon: "Fine. I don't have anything else to be doing anyways."

As such, we began our chess game tournament. The four of us played against each other while Kando watched. First I played against Naeko and won, while Emnei played against Chimon and lost. In the final game, I played against Chimon but lost very quickly.

Chimon: "I win."

Sashi: "Wow Chimon, I didn't know you were so good at chess. Maybe you should play against Kando next."

Chimon: "Hell no. I wouldn't even stand a chance. I just used to play chess online a lot against players around the world."

Kando: "Meh. Playing online is nothing like playing on a real chessboard."

Emnei: "Aren't the rules pretty much the same though?"

Kando: "When you play online it's harder to tell what your opponent is thinking because you can't physically see them unless you are using webcams. The trick to being good at chess, and all logic games in general is looking at your opponents and seeing their facial expressions and movements. From there you can tell what move they will play next."

Sashi: "Oh, I heard gamblers in real life do that. It's part of their strategy. It's how they are able to make a living off on something that is usually done in spare occasions."

Kando: "Most gambling games are nothing like chess though. While both table and board games can involve money, table games have more luck involved in them. Even games with more strategy like blackjack and poker still have a stroke of luck in them. Chess on the other hand is all skill based. Which is why it's a shame that it's not used to gamble money very often."

Chimon: "Probably because it would be too easy to make money that way. Table games are specifically used in gambling because they involve a lot of luck. That's how casinos earn cash."

Kando: "I don't know. Would it really matter if you are playing against people that are just as equally skilled as you though?"

Chimon: "I don't know much about that stuff so I can't answer that question."

Naeko: "Hey does anyone know what time it is? I need some time to come up with a new evil plan before nighttime."

Chimon: "Would you stop with the mad scientist crap already. It's completely pointless since we can clearly see through your act. Just ask what time it is. Don't make it a part of your stupid persona."

Naeko: "WHAT!? You dare mock the Ultimate Mad Scientist!?"

Chimon: "What are you going to do? Throw a non-existent toxic potion at me?"

Naeko: "Maybe I will!"

Sashi: "That's enough Chimon. You don't need to be so harsh on Naeko. He does that persona for a reason you know. Maybe you should stop being so judgmental of people you think are weird or different without knowing their true reasons."

Chimon: "Whatever."

Emnei: "About the time. The clock in the gym says it's 9:59 P.M, so...."

Ding dong, bing bong

Monokuma: "Attention, everyone. It is now 10:00 P.M. As such, it is officially nighttime. Remember that you cannot go to the gym nor the dining hall at night. Murders also cannot be committed during this time, so please wait until the next morning to start killing. Now then, goodnight everyone."

Emnei: "That."

Sashi: "So what do we do now? Do we just sleep here I presume?"

Kando: "I think Nori said something about bringing sleeping bags. We can use those."

Emnei: "I'll go ask her right now."

Sashi: "I'll come with you. I don't think you can carry seven sleeping bags all on your own."

Emnei: "Seven?"

Sashi: "You know, for Tetsu and Doryo."

Emnei: "Oh yeah. I completely forgot about them."

Me and Emnei then headed into the gym, which was just as loud as a couple hours ago. I took a quick glance around the gym, only to see the students lined up in a circle with a bottle in the middle and....oh no. Trying to look the other way, I walked over to Nori, who looked completely wasted.

Sashi: "Hey Nori. We and the others in the hallway are already ready to go to bed. Can you mind telling us where the sleeping bags are?"

Nori: "Whaat did you sayyy?"

Sashi: "Sleeping bags. We need them."

Nori: "Whyyy doo you neeeed thoooseee? Ooooh, I get it. Youuu twwooo want to geet down and FUCK!"

Emnei: "What!? No! We just want to sleep!"

Nori: "Donn't tryyy to denyyy it. I seen the wayyy you too are areee. Howw you are alwayyyss togetherrrr. Don't tell me you two haaaven't tried to do it at least onc................"

Nori then suddenly collapsed on the floor. She looked like she was completely out cold.

Sashi: "Nori? Are you okay?"

Yemon: "Don't worry. She's fine."

Emnei: "Are you sure about that? She looked like she just blacked out."

Yemon: "She's been through hangovers way worse than that, trust me. She said so herself."

Sashi: "Still, I'm still worried about her. It's unhealthy to drink so much alcohol that you pass out."

Yemon: "Oh, that's not an issue. She's actually pretty resistant to alcohol. No matter how drunk she gets, she never seems to experience any negative side effects. She's a real heavyweight. Anyways, you guys need some sleeping bags, right? I'll go get some, they are in the equipment closet."

Yemon then came out carrying a pile of sleeping bags. He then handed four to Emnei and three to me.

Sashi: "Thanks Yemon. Hey, what's this spot her.... AHHHH! Eww, eww, eww, ewwww! Who vomited all over this sleeping bag!?"

Emnei: "Let me guess, it was Nori."

Yemon: "Actually that's Chiyo's puke."

Sashi: "Chiyo!? That's a surprise."

Emnei: "She seems so childish and innocent. She's the last person I would expect to get totally wasted."

Yemon: "Maybe her childness is why she drank so much? Because she's too innocent and naive to know any better?"

I don't know. Even though she looks much younger, she's still a teenager. A teenager should at least know some of the risks involved in drinking.

Yemon: "I'm sorry about that. Let me get you a new sleeping bag."

Yemon handed me a new sleeping bag and we quickly headed away from the gym as fast as possible. After we headed out into the hallway, we gave everyone their sleeping bags and they soon began covering themselves up.

Sashi: "So that was an interesting night. We still had fun though, right?"

Emnei: "I think so. It was nice to have our own little party away from all the obnoxious kids. I think even Chimon had fun, although I don't think he will admit it."

Chimon: "It was...... not horrible."

Sashi: "In other words, you loved it. I'm right, aren't I?"

Chimon: "I guess you can say that."

Sashi: "See I knew that you would warm up to us."

Chimon: "Shut up. This was only for a single night. I still prefer ignoring all you people."

Emnei: "Come on Chimon. Stop being a tsundere and just admit that you enjoyed our company."

Chimon: "You know what. I fucking hate all of you. Now goodfuckingnight you bastards!"

Sashi: "Heehee."

I feel like Chimon is starting to warm up to us little by little. Not by a whole lot mind you, as he's still mostly an obnoxious jerkass. But I think he's secretly trying to hide his true feelings.

Sashi: "So goodnight everyone."

I was about to turn off the lights when I noticed that Kando was staring at the celling. He looked like he was worried about something.

Sashi: "Is something wrong Kando?"

Kando: "I don't know. I'm just really worried about Fudoki. The fact that he never came to the party makes me anxious. I kind of want to leave the gym just to check on him. We are good friends after all."

Sashi: "Kando, remember what Yemon said about the party. We can't leave until the motive runs out. Even if you are only gone for couple minutes, people might get worried. I get you're nervous about him, but it's best just to wait until the next morning."

Kando: "Why do you mean I will be in serious danger? You think Fudoki might kill me? That would never happen. We are good friends who would no way try to hurt each other. Besides, nighttime has already begun."

Sashi: "Just because you can't get killed currently doesn't mean that you won't get hurt. Someone might knock you out and put you in a closet or something until morning. And I'm not worried about Fudoki so much as just someone else following you. If you decide to leave, other people might decide to leave as well. Also, if you're gone for too long, people might get worried and try to look for you and it just becomes a slippery slope of danger."

Kando: "Then what am I supposed to do? I can't just wait until the motive runs out because that's when he will be in the most danger."

Sashi: "Then how about this. If nighttime is over and he still hasn't shown up, then you can go look for him. Not by yourself of course, but with preferably two or more people searching with you. Try not to worry too much and just rest for the night."

Kando: "Okay. I'm still worried but you probably know best."

Sashi: "What am I, the mom of the group?"

Kando: "I think you kind of are in a way. You are always looking after everyone and cheering them up when they are down."

Sashi: "I just try to be nice to everyone. I guess it's just my good heart at display.

Kando smiled at me and I smiled back. It seemed Kando no longer had to worry. That's one thing I'm really good at. I always know how to cheer people up and try to solve their problems. I really am like a mom. Just as I was about to put out the lights once again, a voice emerged from the hallway.

Tetsu: "Goodnight."

Did she just speak? And her voice sounded normal. She really didn't have any speech problems like I thought. Is this a sign that she likes me? That she feels comfortable enough talking to me? Trying not to give it too much thought, I kindly replied.

Sashi: "Goodnight Tetsu."

Finally, I was able to turn off the hallway lights for real and slowly drifted to sleep in my sleeping bag.

........................................

Ding dong, bing bong

Monokuma: "Good morning everyone. If you heard this announcement, that means that is 7:00 A.M and nighttime is officially over. The dining hall and gym will now be open, and you're free to kill as much as you want. Get ready for another beautiful day in your killing school semester."

It's morning already? That was a real long night. I was hoping I could sleep some more, but I should probably get up and check on all the others. It seemed that all the others woke up in time for the morning announcement.

Sashi: "Good morning everyone."

Emnei: "I slept surprisingly well today. I think this is the first time since we started that I was able to get a good rest."

Naeko: "Good morning you fellow mortals."

Chimon: "I had a really weird dream last night. I dreamed that I would actually end up being friends with you all in the end. Sounds crazy, right?"

I don't know. That sounds like foreshadowing to me.

Emnei: "I see that Tetsu and Doryo are awake as well. Wait, I feel like we're missing someone."

Oh no. I quickly counted everyone in the hallway once again only to realize that someone was gone.

Sashi: "Kando!? He's gone! Oh no! Please don't tell me he actually went outside to check on Fudoki!"

Naeko: "What on earth are you talking about? Speak in a language I can understand."

Sashi: "Kando said he was worried about Fudoki, so he said he might leave the gym to go find him! But I told him to search for him in the morning, as I didn't want him to be any danger! I thought he agreed to search in the morning, so why did this happen!?"

Emnei: "Calm down Sashi. I'm sure he's just fine. He probably just left to check on him but ended up going back to his dorm instead. He will likely be here any second."

Renjiro: "What is all this ruckus?"

I noticed that everyone else except Nori had left the gym and were hurdling around me, seeing what the hell was going on.

Renora: "Did something happen?"

Sashi: "It's Kando! He's gone missing!"

Yemon: "Goddamn it. I thought he was with you guys in the hallway. Why did you let him leave?"

Sashi: "I didn't even know. I thought he was asleep, so I went to bed! He must have left while we were all knocked out!"

Marika: "Settle down Sashi. How about we send a few people to check on him? I'll help search for him."

Chiyo: "I actually need to water the plants in my lab this morning, so I will come also."

Chimon: "We should probably send some other person. We need to have enough people in order to properly search this place, but not so much people as to split us completely. In case something will happen, we probably need to have most people stay in the gym so they all have alibis and are safe."

Emnei: "How about we send Tetsu? Even though she's completely mute, I have a feeling that she will follow any orders without issue."

Marika: "Alright, so Tetsu can you help us search for Kando? Now the rest of you stay here. We don't want anything bad happening to you people."

Sashi: "O-okay."

Soon Marika, Chiyo, and Tetsu all headed out. I waited and waited. The more I waited, the more nervous I got. My teeth were chattering, and my body was shaking. Eventually Chiyo, Tetsu, and surprisingly Fudoki came out, but Marika and Kando were nowhere to be seen.

Sashi: "Did you find him!?"

The three all shook their heads. Even Fudoki, who I was certain to know his whereabouts, as I assumed Kando left to go check up on him.

Renjiro: "There you are, you fucker! Why the hell did you not come to the party, Fudoki!? You put yourself and possibly other people in danger just because you were too selfish to interact with people! Even Chimon came to the party because he didn't want anybody to die! If Kando dies because of this, it's your goddamn fault! It really shows how awful you are when even Chimon is more reasonable than you!"

Yemon: "Calm down Renjiro. We don't even know if Kando is even dead. Let's not try to blame anybody and first lets look for Kando first."

Renjiro: "Fine. But if Kando ends up dead, then I'm going to knock your senses back into you Fudoki!"

Renora: "Hey let's not get violent now. Violence is never the answer."

Fudoki almost looked like he was crying for a second before quickly wiping his eyes. Even though what he did was incredibly selfish, I still felt bad for him. Nobody deserves to be threatened and yelled at like that. Renjiro is very unusual in that he has very high morals when it comes to murder and people being dicks, but he comes across a huge asshole when doing so. He hates murder and rude behavior, yet when he makes his point, he comes across as a violent asshole.

Emnei: "So nobody knows where Kando is?"

Chiyo: "Pretty much. Let's wait for Marika though. She's a very thorough person, so I'm sure she's spending a lot of time checking every corner of the school for Kando."

We then waited and waited so more. Even though I was somewhat relieved that Fudoki ended up okay, I got even more nervous as Kando still refused to show up. My worries were even greater when Marika came in, but Kando wasn't with her.

Sashi: "Did you find him!?"

Marika: "Unfortunately no. I searched everywhere, but he was nowhere to be seen."

Akina: "If you searched everywhere, then why didn't you find him? He has to be somewhere. There's only so many places in this school to hide."

Chimon: "Maybe he moved or got moved somewhere when nobody was looking? How about all of us leave the gym and look every corner once more? If we split up into groups, we should be fine."

Emnei: "Alright. Chimon and Sashi, you people are coming with me."

Sashi: "Wait, where's Nori!? I haven't seen her all morning!"

Yemon: "Don't worry about her. She's passed out in the gym right now. I'll keep watch on her. You all should start looking for Kando now."

She's still passed out? Or was this a separate blackout from the one I witnessed last night? But I decided not to think about it too much and ran out of the gym building with Emnei and Chimon.

Emnei: "Let's check his lab. That's probably the most likely place he would be only behind his room."

We quickly ran to his lab as fast as possible. But as soon as we headed inside the doors, our worst fears have been realized. Inside was Kando, dead on the lab floor. His body was completely motionless and his eyes were shut. However, the fact that he was dead wasn't even the biggest shock. The most shocking thing of all was that there was a spear impaled through his chest. The spear made a huge, bloody hole in his chest. When I saw that, the worst realization came to me. He didn't just die, he was murdered. Murdered in the most grotesque way possible. Before I could even say a word, an announcement came from the monitor. Not that I could say a word after such a shocking discovery.

Ding dong, dong ding.

Monokuma: "A body has been discovered! Now then, after a certain amount of time has passed, the class trial will begin."

Sashi: ".........."

Emnei: ".........."

Chimon: "............"

No words could be said. This was a truly horrifying sight. Inside my mind was a mixture of sadness, terror, and frustration. My eyes couldn't stop crying as I saw Kando's lifeless body on the floor. I looked at Emnei. He looked like he was crying too. However, Chimon seemed perfectly calm. It's as if he had been through something like this before.

Emnei: "Why d-did this happen? You told me this wouldn't h-happen Sashi!"

Sashi: "How was I supposed to know this would happen!? I wasn't lying to you! I truly thought that no one would die!"

Emnei: "Then what's the point of me being happy if stuff like this is enviable!? I listened to you because I b-believed your words! I thought no one would d-die!"

Tears were streaming out of his eyes. But these weren't just tears of sadness, they were tears of frustration. But I also felt the same way. I knew that Kando was worried about Fudoki, but I left him alone in the gym. If only I kept watch on him, this wouldn't have happened. But before I could finish my thoughts, everyone else ran in as well.

Chiyo: "EEEEEK!"

Yemon: "What the fuck!? How did this happen!?"

Renora: "AHHHHH!"

But the most upset out of all of us was Fudoki. He instantly ran towards the body with tears in his eyes.

Fudoki: "KANDOOO!"

Instantly Fudoki glared at the rest of us. The glare reminded of me of when we all started at each other once the killing game started. It was a glare of suspicion.

Fudoki: "Who did this? Answer me now! Which one of you bastards killed Kando!? Whoever you are, I will never forgive you and I hope you rot in hell!"

Chimon: "Why are you already pointing fingers? The class trial hasn't even started yet."

Fudoki: "You know what!? I think you did it, you asshole! You seriously piss me off! One of our classmates just died and you show literally no remorse! Look at your face! It shows not even a single emotion! All you care about is your own survival! You don't care about whether your classmates are dead or not!"

Chimon: "Why the hell are you yelling at me? I haven't even done anything. If anything, you are the one at fault for not coming at the party. The reason Kando even died is because he left the gym looking for you."

Fudoki: "Shut up! At least I feel remorseful for Kando, unlike a sociopath like you."

Chimon: "Sociopath? What the hell are you talking about? You don't know that."

Fudoki: "Only a sociopath would see a brutal murder with a blank expression on their face!"

Chimon: "That's just how I am, dickhead. Do you think detectives start blubbering and holding the dead body when they are called to investigate? Of course not, because they're fucking detectives. The fact they are able to be around dead bodies without much issue is what makes them good detectives. Are all detectives sociopaths then? Of course not. There's a difference between having nerves of steel and literally not having any empathy for anyone."

I can believe I'm actually saying this, but Chimon kind of has a point here. Some people are just better at handling these kinds of things than others. It's just basic human nature. But does that mean Chimon has nerves of steel? Was he born like that?

Sashi: "Fudoki, I understand you are upset about Kando's death. I am too. It's holding everything in me to not start crying again. However, you can't start blaming people for Kando's death. I don't think that what's Kando would have wanted anyways."

Fudoki: "How do you know that!?"

Sashi: "Just imagine this. If Kando were to come back as a ghost and see all of this, what would he think? Would he be proud of the way you are acting right now?"

Fudoki: "I guess not."

Sashi: "Exactly. If you want to avenge Kando's death. Then you have to investigate carefully and understandably. Rather than point fingers at everyone, you should try to find the culprit with proper evidence backing it up."

Fudoki: "But I can't investigate while Kando's body is on the floor! It's too upsetting!"

Yemon: "Then how about you investigate somewhere else? How about I search with you? Will that make you feel better?"

Fudoki: "O-okay."

Yemon then headed out of the lab with Fudoki, who still had water in his eyes. Yemon is such a good guy. He's always there to support people when they get upset. But the mood was ruined by a certain robotic dog's sudden appearance.

Monopup: "So are you guys done moping around?"

Renjiro: "What the hell do you want?"

Monopup: "Well since this is your first investigation, I thought could offer a little assistance. Since you all are just high school students, I assume none of you know how to investigate a body. Well worry not, because all information about the body is all stored under this file."

Monopup took out what looked like a electronic device similar to the monopod.

Marika: "What is that?"

Monopup: "The Monokuma File, or more specifically Monokuma File 1, since this is only the first murder, is a file listing all the information regarding the body in question. This includes the time of death, cause of death, other injuries, and so on. I'll hand them out right now."

Monopup then handed Monokuma files to each of us.

Monopup: "Well that's all I wanted to tell you, so goodbye for now. If you have any other questions, let me know."

Sashi: "I guess we should start investigating then."

I took a quick glance at Emnei. He still looked upset about the whole situation but was not longer crying.

Sashi: "Are you okay Emnei?"

Emnei: "I think so. I'm still upset but I know I need to investigate. All our lives are at stake here. Sorry I yelled at you though."

Sashi: "It's fine. How about we investigate together?"

Emnei: "That sounds good."

Alright, it's time to begin our search for the truth. Whoever did this, we have to find them out. Not just for me, but for everyone involved, including Kando.

INVESTIGATION START

Sashi: "Since we just got the Monokuma File, we should look at that first."

I tapped the Monokuma file, which read this: "The victim's name is Kando Yamamoto, the Ultimate Chessmaster. His body was found in the Ultimate Chessmaster Lab. The cause of death was being impaled through the chest by a sharp object. The time of death is 7:50 AM. No other injuries can be noted."

Emnei: "That didn't really tell us much. I already knew the cause of death as soon as I saw the spear impaled through his chest."

Sashi: "The time of death might be useful though. If I remember correctly, that's right after everyone left the gym to search for Kando."

In any case, this is important information. I should make sure to have this memorized.

MONOKUMA FILE 1 ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Emnei: "So now that's out of the way, what should we investigate now?"

Sashi: "I guess we should start with the elephant in the room, the dead body."

Emnei gulped in fear.

Sashi: "You don't have to look if you don't want to."

Emnei: "Thanks for being considerate, but I'm think I'm okay."

I walked over to the body and started examining the body. What stood out the most was the large spear sticking out of chest.

Sashi: "Where did they get this spear? I've never seen this before."

Emnei: "It's probably from that hidden room Renjiro was talking about."

Sashi: "Speaking of, we never actually looked in that room. We should investigate there later."

I really want to examine this spear in close detail, but I don't really want to take the spear out of the chest. Not only because it's gross, but because I want to preserve the crime scene. First, I want to see if the spear really did come from the hidden room. If so, there might be another one like this that I can examine in close detail. For now, it's important to know that this spear is here. It does look like the murder weapon after all, which is always important.

SPEAR ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Now then I seen the spear, I should investigate the rest of the body. I guess I should check his pockets for any clues.

Sashi: "Huh. What's this?"

I took out what looked like to be a crumpled piece of paper. I unraveled the paper and I saw that a bunch of words were written on it.

Sashi: "This looks like a note."

Emnei: "What does it say?"

Sashi: "It says 'Hey Kando, I really enjoyed our game last night. Wanna go another round? Meet me in your lab at 7:40 AM, Fudoki'."

Emnei: "Fudoki wrote this note?"

Sashi: "Looks like it. The time is right before Kando died as well."

I got to admit, this seems pretty suspicious. But I'm going to hold my judgment for now. Wait, now that I'm looking at the note, I'm starting to see something.

Sashi: "There's some blood drops on this note. Blood must have splattered his pockets when he died."

Emnei: "Then that means Kando was carrying this note before he died."

Sashi: "Which means he probably already read the note before he died. If he has it in his pocket, he probably went to his lab before getting killed."

Emnei: "But can we even be sure Fudoki even wrote this note? It could be a trap set by the real killer to lure Kando here and frame Fudoki."

Sashi: "That's definitely possible. I guess we just have to ask Fudoki later to see if he wrote this."

That's the question here. If Fudoki wrote this, then it's suspicious on his part. If he didn't write this, then it's suspicious on someone else's part. Even if I don't know the finer details just yet, I should still keep note of this.

BLOODY NOTE ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

I think I examined just about everything with Kando's body. There also doesn't seem to be anymore clues here, so I'll try talking to people.

Sashi: "Hey Renjiro did you find anything?"

Renjiro: "Sorry but no. I'm not very good at this kind of thing."

Emnei: "By the way, didn't you say you were going to beat up Fudoki if Kando turned out to be dead? What happened with that?"

Renjiro: "I will beat him up, just later. Because I'm too busy with investigating and what not right now."

Sure you will.

Sashi: "Well that wasn't very helpful. Hey Marika, you searched the school for Kando. Did you notice anything?"

Marika: "No, unfortunately. I searched every corner of the school but Kando wasn't anywhere to be found."

Sashi: "Then why is his body here? Surely you remembered to search his lab?"

Marika: "I did remember. In fact, this was the first place I looked as soon as I left. But I left the gym with Chiyo and Tetsu at 7:25 AM and searched his lab immediately after, which is around 20 minutes before he died. So that's probably why his body was not there yet. I searched the rest of the school but by the time I returned to the gym, it was 8:40 AM."

Emnei: "Were you with anyone else?"

Marika: "No. We were all on our own searches, so we don't have alibis for each other."

Sashi: "Thank you Marika. That was very helpful."

Marika: "No problem. We are all trying to find the truth to survive, so it's only natural that I would inform you of what I know."

What Marika said was very important information. Essentially, she was gone from 7:25 AM to 8:40 AM. She doesn't have an alibi for when she was gone, but if she is telling the truth, Chiyo and Tetsu don't have alibis either, so she's not the only suspect. I should write her account down.

MARIKA'S ACCOUNT ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Sashi: "We should probably talk to Tetsu since she was also searching for Kando."

Emnei: "This might be difficult."

Sashi: "Hey Tetsu, where were you doing your search and how long were you gone? Just tell me anything you know."

Tetsu quickly began scribbling on her notepad and tossed me a paper ball. On the ball were the words: "I left at 7:25 AM. I was going to start searching but I got scared so I stayed in my room until 8:00 AM. However, I didn't want to worry anybody, so I headed out of my room. That's where I met up with Chiyo and Fudoki and we all headed to the gym at 8:05 AM."

Sashi: "Thanks Tetsu."

So Tetsu was alone in her room for her search? That sounds very suspicious, but it also clears of her suspicion if she's telling the truth. But she doesn't have a witness, so we can't clear her just yet. However, it's nice to know that she, Chiyo, and Fudoki came back to the gym at 8:05 AM, so their searches were much shorter than Marika. I wonder why.

TETSU'S ACCOUNT ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Me and Emnei tried talking to the other students at Kando's lab, but they weren't able to provide any clues. However, before we left, I wanted to make something clear.

Sashi: "Hey Emnei. Do you remember what time we all left the gym to search for Kando?"

Emnei: "I think we left around 8:50 AM. That means that everyone except Chiyo, Fudoki, Tetsu, and Marika have alibis. No one else left the gym."

Sashi: "Thanks Emnei. I just wanted to make sure."

So that basically only leaves four suspects: Chiyo, Fudoki, Tetsu, and Marika. Everyone else stayed at the gym. That really helps with process of elimination. We also split into groups, so nobody could tamper or destroy evidence. So, by the time we left the gym, the crime was finished. That also means no one other than those four could tamper with evidence. Except for the four suspects and Kando, nobody left the gym since 4:05 PM yesterday until 8:50 AM.

ALIBIS AT GYM ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Sashi: "So I think we're done at Kando's lab for now."

Emnei: "Where should we investigate next then?"

Sashi: "How about we investigate Chiyo's lab since it's right next door? Chiyo also said that she needed to water plants, so she probably headed there during her search. There might be some clues there."

Me and Emnei then headed to Chiyo's lab. Inside everything seemed to be normal, but I know some clues are hard to find. I have to truly dig this place down from the bottom. Yemon, Fudoki, and Chiyo were also there, so I should talk to them.

Sashi: "Hey Chiyo."

Chiyo: "Hi Sashi."

Sashi: "Did you find any clues Sashi?"

Chiyo: "I was looking at the carnivorous plant and noticed it had something in its mouth. This is it."

Chiyo handed me what looked like to be a scrap of paper.

Sashi: "Huh. All it says are the words "11:15 PM". Can this plant eat paper?"

Chiyo: "Yeah. It's actually able to digest paper. It can't use it for energy mind you, but it can still tear it up."

Emnei: "It's like someone fed this piece of paper to the plant so it would digest it. It's as if they were trying to hide evidence."

Sashi: "Well we won't know what evidence it is when it's all chewed up. This little scrap is all we have. Wait, a minute. This handwriting is the same as on the bloody note Kando had."

Emnei: "So Fudoki has written this note as well? Then he probably knows what was originally on this piece of paper."

Yeah, I need to ask him about this piece of paper as well as the bloody note Kando had. He should be able to give us some clues. But for now, I should write this down.

PAPER SCRAP ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Sashi: "By the way, Chiyo. You said you were watering plants during the search, right? So, you weren't actually searching for Kando?"

Chiyo: "Well I technically was in the fact that I was in the garden and Kando wasn't there. So, I searched the garden while Tetsu and Marika searched everywhere else."

Sashi: "So essentially you were there the entire time during the search?"

Chiyo: "Pretty much. I was in the garden from 7:30 to 8:00 AM before leaving, where I spotted Fudoki, and we headed back to the gym. That's also when we saw Tetsu on the way."

Emnei: "Anything else you can tell me?"

Chiyo: "I noticed something when I was in the garden. A wheelbarrow, tarp, and garden stake were all missing from the garden while I was watering all the vegetation. What's weird is that they all returned when I investigated here after the body discovery announcement."

Sashi: "That's interesting. I wonder why. That was particularly useful Chiyo. Thanks for the info."

Chiyo: "No problem."

Even though someone has just been murdered, Chiyo's mood is very cheerful. Which is unusual since I noticed she was quite frightened when she saw that Kando was dead. I guess she just recovers really quickly. What Chiyo said was helpful though. Especially about the tarp, garden stake, and wheelbarrow being missing while she was in the garden from 7:30 to 8:00 AM. That must mean that they were somehow used in the crime. I should search for these objects to find any clues.

CHIYO'S ACCOUNT ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Sashi: "Hey Fudoki. Are you okay now?"

Fudoki: "Yeah. I'm sorry about how I acted earlier."

Sashi: "It's fine. Anyways, do these things look familiar to you? I took out both the bloody note and the paper scrap and showed them to Fudoki."

Fudoki: "Oh yeah. That's the note I gave to Kando. Except it's covered in blood. The paper scrap is also a note I gave to Kando. Except it's torn into pieces. I wonder why my notes are like this."

Emnei: "What are these notes? Care to explain?"

Fudoki: "What do you mean? They're just notes I gave to Kando."

Sashi: "Why did you give these notes to Kando? Couldn't you have just talked to him in person."

Fudoki: "Oh. After Kando saw me in my room, he went back to his own room to presumably sleep. However, I wanted to play chess with him, so not wanting to disturb him in case he was sleeping, I slid the note under his door. He must have read it because we had a game in his lab before going back to sleep."

Emnei: "So both of these papers have your handwriting on them? This is your handwriting?"

Fudoki: "Yes."

Sashi: "So the bloody note was a second invitation to a chess game?"

Fudoki: "Yeah. I thought he was still sleeping because we stayed up late. So, I slid the note under his door."

Sashi: "So did you come to his lab?"

Fudoki: "Yeah. I came right to his lab at 7:40 AM, like the note said. However, he never came, so I left after about five minutes."

Emnei: "What did you do afterwards?"

Fudoki: "I just kind of walked around until Chiyo saw me and we walked towards the gym. That's when we met up with Tetsu and we all headed to the gym together."

That matches up with both Tetsu's and Chiyo's accounts.

Sashi: "Thanks for your info Fudoki."

So, both the bloody note and paper scrap were written by Fudoki. That's good to know. My question is why did the culprit feed the first note to the carnivorous plant? Was it harmful to the culprit's plans? That's what I'm wondering.

PAPER SCRAP UPDATED IN TRUTH BULLETS SECTION

BLOODY NOTE UPDATED IN TRUTH BULLETS SECTION

FUDOKI'S ACCOUNT ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS SECTION

Before searching the garden, I decided to talk to the last person in the area, Yemon.

Sashi: "Hey Yemon. How's your investigation going?"

Yemon: "It's going good. I actually found out something rather interesting."

Sashi: "What's that?"

Yemon: "All the plants in this garden are very wet. That means that they have been watered recently."

Emnei: "Well Chiyo did say she was watering plants during the search."

Yemon: "Yeah. Which means she was telling the truth. That has to important in some way, right?"

Sashi: "Actually, I think that was very important. That was rather insightful of you Yemon. Not many people would have noticed that."

Yemon: "Well it's a man's duty to investigate. And you can't slack off while investigating. You got to work hard."

I pretty sure it's everyone's duty to investigate, but I'm not going to comment. Anyways, Chiyo was telling the truth when she said she was watering plants in her lab. That's very helpful information.

WATERED PLANTS ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Sashi: "Now that we talked to everyone, let's search this garden. Chiyo said a wheelbarrow, tarp, and garden stake were all missing. Let's look for those objects."

Emnei: "Alright."

I looked at the plethora of garden stakes around the lab. They all seemed the same at first glance. However, one garden stake was very wet for one reason. And the entire stake was wet, not just one area. It's as if someone specifically tried to hose down this garden stake. What's even stranger was that the stake didn't even support any plants, it was just stabbed into a patch of soil. However, the patch of soil was also wet. But why would the soil patch be wet if there weren't any plants near it? This all reeks of questions.

GARDEN STAKE ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

WET SOIL ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Sashi: "I think we searched everywhere in the garden itself, so we should check out the toolshed."

Emnei: "Yeah. The wheelbarrow and tarp are probably there."

We entered the toolshed and sure enough, a tarp and wheelbarrow were there. I examined the wheelbarrow first and noticed something strange.

Sashi: "There's bloodstains on this wheelbarrow!"

Emnei: "That's rather strange."

Wait if the wheelbarrow has bloodstains, then that must mean ............

WHEELBARROW ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

I also checked the tarp in the toolshed. For some reason, it was also soaking wet. Why are so many things soaked with water? But what was strangest of all was that there was inexplicable hole in the middle of the tarp. It wasn't small nor large but was very round. It looked like it was caused on purpose, but for what reason?

TARP ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Sashi: "I think we finished searching Chiyo's lab."

Emnei: "So now what?"

Sashi: "How about we search Kando's room? I want to know what he was doing before he died."

Emnei: "How would we even access Kando's room? It's locked tight and can only be unlocked by his monopod."

Sashi: "Then let's grab his monopod from his body. There's no password or fingerprint security so we should be fine."

Emnei: "Oh yeah."

We headed back to Kando's lab and took his monopod. We then went over to the dorms and walked up to Kando's room on the second floor. We were able to turn on his monopod and when we showed it to his door, it opened just fine. However, when we looked inside, the room didn't look normal. Everything looked my room, except there was a window that was smashed to pieces and a hammer right next to it.

Sashi: "What in the world happened here?"

Emnei: "That broken window had to be made on purpose. There's no way that's an accident.

Sashi: "Especially with the hammer right next to it. The window had to have been smashed by that hammer. Since I have never seen this hammer before, it probably came from the hidden room in the gym. That means this was specifically prepared by the culprit."

Emnei: "This window hangs right above a planter box by the dorms. I just thought I should mention that."

Sashi: "If you really think that's important."

But why was the window broken? Did Kando do this, or the culprit? It's so strange that it has to be important in some way.

BROKEN WINDOW ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

HAMMER ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

We tried searching Kando's drawers and closet, but all that was there were his clothes. Nothing else of value was in his room.

Sashi: "Well I guess that's Kando's room. We pretty much seen everything. What I want to know if there was any evidence left outside the dorms."

Emnei: "In that case we could check the trash bin next to the dorms. The culprit might have tried to toss away evidence in there."

Me and Sashi left Kando's room and searched the dorm trash can. Inside was what looked to be a piece of duct tape. Except it was all bloody.

Sashi: "Looks like I found a clue."

Emnei; "Why do these cases have to be so complicated? Like how does a piece of duct tape in any way relate to murder?"

Sashi: "Well obviously it has to do with the murder here because it's covered in blood. It must be Kando's blood. And since he died, it must have something to do with his death."

Emnei: "No, I get that part. It's just that this murder is very confusing and not at all straightforward. It's like something out of a mystery videogame."

Sashi: "I have no idea what you're talking about. All I know is that this relates to the case and that's what matters."

BLOODY DUCT TAPE ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

So now we have searched the dorms entirely. Now there's only one more place I want to investigate.

Sashi: "We should look for the hidden room that Renjiro and Yemon mentioned. The spear might have come from there."

Emnei: "That sounds good. Renjiro says the entrance came from the boy's bathroom in the locker rooms."

Sashi: "Oh. So, I guess I have to go inside the boy's bathroom then."

Emnei: "Don't worry about it. I don't think anybody really cares. Besides, this is necessary for our investigation."

Sashi: "Alright."

Me and Emnei soon headed inside the gym doors. We then went into the boy's locker room. Right across the rows of lockers was a bathroom. We walked over to the bathroom.

Sashi: "I think Renjiro said it was in one of these stalls. Let's check them all."

We searched all the bathroom stalls until we saw one with a brick coming out of the wall.

Emnei: "That's unnatural. The way it bulges out like means it's meant to be pressed."

Emnei pressed the brick and it went inside the wall. Suddenly, the wall behind the toilet opened up and revealed a staircase that goes downstairs.

Sashi: "Ooh. That's a very ominous staircase. Well Renjiro definitely wasn't lying about the hidden passageway."

Emnei: "It's kind of dark. It feels like something might jump out at us at any moment."

Me and Emnei headed climbed down the creaky stairs until we reached the bottom of the dank hallway. At the end of the wall was a wooden door. When we opened the door, we suddenly found ourselves in some kind of armory. There were tons of weapons lined up on the walls. There was hammers, spears, crossbows, swords, etc. These are definitely weapons Monokuma wanted us to use for murder. The cobblestone walls and lack of lighting other than a few torches made it look like a medieval dungeon.

Sashi: "Well this is rather dangerous. Anyone could come in here and grab a dangerous weapon."

Emnei: "There's no way this was a part of the original school. This place must have been remodeled for the killing game. This room was added in order for us to access murder weapons at any time."

Sashi: "My question is why did they hide it?"

Emnei: "Well if they were trying to hide it, they didn't do a very good job. That brick sticking out of the wall was a major hint."

Sashi: "I guess it's just there so there could be a hidden passageway. Like it might just have been hidden in this dank hallway for looks."

Emnei: "I think they wanted it to be hidden enough to the point where not everyone might find it, but still obvious enough to the point where someone will eventually run into it at some point."

Sashi: "Well it's hard to tell why Monokuma does what he does. The important thing is that the spear might have come from here. Let's search for a possible copy of the same spear that was used to impale Kando."

As I searched along the walls of the hidden room until I ran into the spear section. There was several types of spears of different materials and lengths, but I was able to find one that looked exactly like the one we saw. I examined it in close detail. Nothing seemed too unusual, except.... huh? I suddenly grabbed the tip of the spear and it detached.

Emnei: "Great job Sashi. You destroyed evidence."

Sashi: "I didn't mean to break it. But's it kind of strange how easily the tip detached."

Emnei: "You think it was made like this on purpose?"

Sashi: "I think so. Wait, let me try something."

I tried attaching the tip back onto the spear. While I had to rotate the tip a bit, it fit just fine.

Sashi: "Yep, it looks like the tip was intentionally made to be detachable. You can add and remove it as you please."

I attached and removed the tip several times in quick succession. Each time was just as easy as the last time.

Emnei: "But why would you design a spear like that? It's just so weird."

Sashi: "Maybe it's in case a spear is too long or heavy to use as a weapon, so can just stab someone with the tip instead."

Emnei: "Then what's the point of having a spear in the first place?"

Sashi: "I guess it's supposed to be like a multi-purpose weapon. Like it can used both as a short and long weapon. Whatever fits the situation, I guess."

Regardless of why the spear is designed like this, it's important to know that the tip is detachable. I was honestly expected not to find any notable clues about this spear, but it looks like my intuition was right. I should keep this in mind.

SPEAR UPDATED IN TRUTH BULLETS SECTION

Bing bong, ding dong.

Huh, what was that? Is Monokuma making an announcement? Sure enough, the monitor turned on and Monokuma appeared on screen.

Monokuma: "Okay, so I've been waiting for like four hours. Surely you have had enough time to investigate, right? So, let's start what we have all been waiting for, the class trial! Head to the park in the middle of the school at no later than 1:15 PM. Don't be late, or you'll be punished. Remember, participation is mandatory for all students! Puhuhuhu. I'm so damn excited for this!"

Sashi: "I guess it's time to start the class trial. Good thing I investigated everything I think I needed to."

Emnei: "I'm so nervous about this. I don't want to do this."

I looked at Emnei who seemed to be trembling in fear. He looked utterly terrified of what will happen next.

Sashi: "It's okay Emnei. I'm worried about this too, but we have to participate. We have to do this whether we want to or not. Not just for our lives, but everyone else's as well."

Emnei: "But I don't know if I can do this. I can't debate when I'm this scared and nervous."

Sashi: "Don't worry about that. There's still fifteen of us. Even if you can't give a good argument, the rest of us can. At least, I will try my best. Just do your best and you'll be fine."

Emnei: "O-okay."

Emnei was still trembling a bit, so I held my arm around his shoulder to calm him down. We both walked to the park together. We all headed to the middle, where everyone else was already gathered. It was just like when we first met in this school. Even though I was trying my best to support Emnei, my heartbeat was still very significant.

Yemon: "Alright. Now that everyone is here, what do we do?"

Marika: "Monokuma told us to head here. I guess we just have to wait until he gives us instructions."

Nori: "Wait, do we actually have to debate out here? Right in the middle of the park?"

Sashi: "Hey Nori. Have you finally recovered from your hangover?"

Nori: "What hangover?"

Wait did she seriously forget? Did she completely lose all memory of the party? That's not good. I thought she was a heavyweight.

Emnei: "You know what has bothering me ever since we got here? The fact that there's an explicable giant Monokuma statue in the middle of the park. Why is this thing here?"

Gyo Shin: "Probably because Monokuma is a huge narcissist."

Chimon: "I don't think robotic bears can be narcissistic. It was probably just built here for the killing school semester. Probably just decoration."

But Chimon's statement was soon to be proven wrong. When the statue suddenly started shaking.

Chiyo: "AHH! Is this an earthquake?"

No, only the statue is shaking. If it was an earthquake, the entire ground would be shaking.

Nori: "This is worse than all the rough sex I had with my drunk ex-boyfriend!"

We all started at Nori in surprise and disappointment.

Nori: "I was just joking, alright. You can stop staring now."

Soon the statue stopped shaking, and the front of the statute suddenly opened up. Inside was a small square room.

Sashi: "Is this an elevator?"

Renjiro: "I assume we're supposed to be heading inside."

As such, the fifteen of us headed inside the Monokuma statue. Sure enough, when we headed inside, the room immediately started dropping like an elevator.

Fudoki: "Ugh, I hate elevators. I always had a fear of them."

Doryo: "You're afraid of everything, you fucking pussy."

Yemon: "Shut up, Doryo."

Akina: "Wow, this elevator sure has been dropping for a long time now."

Renora: "Why are we heading so deep? Where are we even going?"

This elevator kept dropping and dropping. The more we stayed in here, the faster my heartbeat was. My teeth were clenching, and I was breathing hard. I was terrified, terrified of this class trial. Just when I thought it was never going to end, the elevator came to a sudden stop. The door opened and just outside was what looked to be the trial grounds. Inside were sixteen stands, all facing each other in a circle. It was clearly designed that way so we could deliver our arguments to each other. Right behind the circle were two seats. One larger and one smaller. Monokuma sat in the large seat, while Monopup sat in the small one. They must be the judges in this case. Right above the judge seats was a screen. On the screen were labels for who sat where.

Monokuma: "Now that you are all here, stand next to your labeled stand. You can see the labels on the screen right above me. Now let's get this trial rolling!"

We all stood in our assigned stands, ready to start the class trial. Kando Yamamoto, the Ultimate Chessmaster. He was so polite, almost too polite. He never did anything rude or disruptive. He was a purely innocent soul, devoid of any ill intent. While he had trouble socializing, he always wanted to be friends with us. That's why I can't believe someone would murder someone as sweet and innocent as him. And the culprit behind this incident.... is one of us. I can't believe it. No perhaps I just don't want to believe it. Who did this? Who killed Kando Yamamoto? I have to find out, not just for my sake, but for everyone's sakes. All our lives are at stake, so I have to find this truth. And thus begins the trial of hope and despair!

TRIAL PREPARATION

TRUTH BULLETS:

1/17 MONOKUMA FILE 1: The victim's name is Kando Yamamoto, the Ultimate Chessmaster. His body was found in the Ultimate Chessmaster Lab. The cause of death was being impaled through the chest by a sharp object. The time of death is 7:50 AM. No other injuries can be noted.

2/17 SPEAR: A spear that was impaled through Kando's chest. The tip is detachable. It came from the armory at the gym.

3/17 BLOODY NOTE: A bloody note in Kando's pocket. It states the following: "Hey Kando, I really enjoyed our game last night. Wanna go another round? Meet me in your lab at 7:40 AM, Fudoki". This note was confirmed to have written by Fudoki. Not wanting to wake him up, he slid this note under his door.

4/17 MARIKA'S ACCOUNT: Marika left the gym along with Chiyo and Tetsu in order to search for Kando. Despite searching everywhere, she claims to have never seen Kando. She didn't return to the gym until 8:40 AM, for which she was the last of the group to return to the gym. She also states that because everyone split up, they do not have alibis for each other.

5/17 TETSU'S ACCOUNT: During Tetsu's search, she got scared so she locked herself in her room until 8:00 AM. She then left her dorm room and met up with Chiyo and Fudoki. They then all returned to the gym together at 8:05 AM.

6/17 ALIBIS AT GYM: In order to prevent a murder from happening, Yemon made everyone attend a party at the gym until the motive runs out. Everyone except Fudoki attended the party. Kando is assumed to have left the gym in the middle of the night to search for Fudoki, as he didn't show up this morning. Except for Kando, Tetsu, Chiyo, and Marika, the people at the gym didn't leave the gym until 8:50 AM, where the motive had already run out. Everyone then searched for Kando in groups, meaning everyone had alibis until the body discovery announcement.

7/17 PAPER SCRAP: A piece of paper found in the carnivorous plant at Chiyo's lab. The plant is able to digest paper, so only a small scrap remained. It only states the words "11:15 PM". Fudoki confirms this used to be a note that he wrote. After Kando checked up on him, he returned to his room. Not wanting to disturb him, Fudoki slid the note under his door. Apparently, this was an invitation to a chess game that Fudoki and Kando both played last night.

8/17: CHIYO'S ACCOUNT: During Chiyo's search, she stayed in her lab to water her plants. She was in there from 7:30 AM to 8:00 AM. Afterwards, she left her lab, where she ran into Fudoki. She and Fudoki then met Tetsu and all returned to the gym together. While she was in her lab, Chiyo claims that a tarp, wheelbarrow, and garden stake were all missing from the garden. However, they all returned to her lab during the investigation.

9/17: FUDOKI'S ACCOUNT: After handing Kando the second note, Fudoki came to Kando's lab at 7:40 AM like the note said. However, Kando never showed up, so Fudoki left at 7:45 AM.

10/17 WATERED PLANTS: All the plants in Chiyo's lab are very wet, meaning they had to have been watered this morning.

11/17 GARDEN STAKE: A garden stake in Chiyo's lab that went missing. For some reason, the entire stake is soaked from top to bottom.

12/17 WET SOIL: A patch of soil where the wet garden stake was stabbed into. Even though there are no plants near this soil, the patch is soaking wet, as if it has been hosed down.

13/17 WHEELBARROW: A wheelbarrow found in the toolshed of Chiyo's lab that went missing. There are bloodstains on the inside of the wheelbarrow.

14/17 TARP: A tarp found in the toolshed of Chiyo's lab that went missing. One side is soaking wet, as if it had been hosed down. Unusually, there is a medium-sized hole in the middle of this tarp. This hole isn't natural, but instead looks like it was caused intentionally.

15/17 BROKEN WINDOW: The window in Kando's dorm room has been shattered to pieces. The window hangs right above a planter box outside the dorms.

16/17: HAMMER: A hammer in Kando's room. It is assumed to have been the cause of the broken window. This hammer was likely brought from the armory, meaning the culprit specifically prepared it and brought it to Kando's room.

17/17 BLOODY DUCT TAPE: A piece of bloody duct tape found in a trash bin outside the dorms.

TRIAL IN SESSION

Monokuma: "Ahem! Now then, let's begin with a basic explanation of the class trial! During the trial you will all debate on who you think the culprit is, and vote for "whodunnit." Vote correctly, and only the blackened will be punished. But if you pick the wrong person, I'll punish everyone besides the blackened, and that person will have the right to graduate from this academy. Also, refusing to vote results in your death, so you better vote for someone."

Chiyo: "Um, this may be unrelated, but why did you put a picture of Kando next to his stand with a bloody X through it?"

Monokuma: "Don't you remember what I said? Everyone has to participate in class trials, even the dead. It would a shame to leave him behind even though he died. So, think of it as a memorial for him."

Fudoki: "What kind of memorial puts a bloody X through the picture of the deceased! You disgust me!"

Monokuma: "Puhuhuhu. Looks like someone is already fired up. Also, I'm never removing that picture, so don't bother asking. From every class trial here on out, Kando's portrait will remain, even class trials that don't relate to him in any way."

Fudoki: "So you're saying that everytime I participate in a class trial, I have to be reminded of my friend's death! I hate this! Can't we just try to figure out who's the culprit already and be done already!"

Sashi: "Now, now, Fudoki. I understand you're upset but we have to get through this as carefully as possible. We shouldn't rush things since a wrong decision can kill us all."

I have to say. Lately Fudoki has been showing a lot of emotion, which is unusual because when I first met him, he seemed very stoic and monotone in his voice. I guess Kando's death really impacted him that much.

Nori: "I know we're supposed to be debating and all that, but where do we even start?"

Emnei: "How about we start with all the info we already know and see what we can deduct from that."

Sashi: "That sounds like a great idea, Emnei! See, you are already getting the hang of things!"

Emnei: "I just want to get this through as quickly as possible."

Renora: "How about we start with the state of the body and see what conclusions we can form from that."

This is when our first debate begins. I got to think carefully and see if I can form any conclusions. When I know something, I can't be afraid to speak out. This is a class trial, so all our voices matter. I should listen to everyone's thoughts and see if there are any contradictions or inconsistencies. If I know I see one, I should make sure to object with the right evidence in order to move the trial forward.

NON-STOP DEBATE BEGIN

Possible contradictory statements are marked with *this*.

TRUTH BULLETS:

1) ALIBIS AT GYM

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

. Gyo Shin: "The victim, Kando Yamamoto, was murdered."

. Marika: "At 7:50 AM, as stated in the Monokuma File."

. Emnei: "His body was found in his lab..."

. Emnei: "also known as the Ultimate Chessmaster Lab."

. Akina: "According to the Monokuma File...."

. Akina: "his cause of death was being impaled in the chest."

. Chimon: "Which was likely caused by the spear in his chest."

. Doryo: "Okay we know all that shit......"

. Doryo: "but where the hell does that get us!"

. Doryo: "*The culprit could be anybody*...."

. Doryo: "so we don't have any clues to who the fuck did this!"

We have all the basic information down, but where does that get us? His statement seemed contradictory, so I should shoot it down with evidence.

————————————————————————————————————————

Sashi: "NO, THAT'S WRONG!"

BREAK

Yemon: "The hell was that for!"

Sashi: "Sorry, whenever I see something wrong, I feel the need to spell it out."

Emnei: "You don't have to shout it like that. You almost gave me a heart attack."

Sashi: "My bad. Anyways, back to what I was saying. Sorry Doryo, but that's incorrect."

Doryo: "You trying to argue against me bitch! You got some fucking balls!"

Why did I even apologize to you if I knew you were going to act like this?

Sashi: "If you remember what time Kando died, it was 7:50 AM."

Marika: "I just said that like two minutes ago."

Sashi: "Well during that time period, most people were at the gym. The only people not at the gym were Fudoki, Chiyo, Tetsu, Marika, and the victim Kando."

Naeko: "So those should be the only suspects in this case. Everyone in the gym had alibis."

Sashi: "Exactly. Not everyone could commit this crime, just those four. So, we should look for the culprit among those people."

Chimon: "Which should have been obvious from the start. The only reason we had to bring this up was because someone wasn't paying attention and missed what Marika said less than a minute before he made his point."

Doryo: "Hey don't assume shit! I heard what she said for crying out loud!"

Akina: "Then why didn't you make the connection? I got to say, for a male you are really stupid."

Doryo: "Fuck you bitch! For all you know, I would have made the connection except I didn't actually know what the time was when we were in the gym!"

Chimon: "How the hell can you not think that? There's literally a clock right on the gym walls, oh wait."

Gyo Shin: "Wait are you telling me he's so stupid that he can't even read CLOCKS!? That kind of stuff was taught in early elementary school!"

Doryo: "Well I didn't know that useless shit they taught in school actually mattered! That's why I didn't pay attention in class!"

Wait, if Doryo can't even figure out things they taught in like 2nd grade, then how the hell did he manage to graduate to high school? Presumably 12th grade, nonetheless.

Nori: "Well Doryo's stupidity aside, it seems like most people actually have alibis, including me. That helps us narrow down who the blackened is."

Renjiro: "Heh. Not like it really matters in the first place, because it's obvious who the culprit is."

Fudoki: "Really!? Does that mean we can finally end this crappy trial and continue with our lives!?"

Renjiro: "Yeah. Except the culprit is you, Fudoki Sasaki!"

Fudoki: "Wait! WHATTTTTTTTTTTTT!?"

Gyo Shin: "So you've been quiet all this time, but when the finger points to you, you freak out. That sounds mighty suspicious to me."

Fudoki: "But there's no evidence that says I'm the c-culprit."

Chiyo: "What about the note you gave Kando? It specifically says this: 'Hey Kando, I really enjoyed our game last night. Wanna go another round? Meet me in your lab at 7:40 AM, Fudoki.' The note was specifically signed by you, Fudoki."

Marika: "Not to mention, you specifically told him to come to his lab, which is where he was murdered."

Emnei: "The time is right before he died, as well. Ten minutes to be exact."

Renora: "So Fudoki, did you write this note?"

Fudoki: "Yes, I mean no! No, I actually mean yes! I mean, I don't know!"

Boy Fudoki, you're really not making this easy for yourself.

Renora: "Did you or did you not? Give me a straight answer, Fudoki."

Fudoki: "Ummm. But why would I kill Kando anyways? He's my friend, I could never murder him!"

Yemon: "Why are you dodging the question Fudoki?"

Chimon: "Also, saying he's your friend is not evidence. You could have tried to be his friend just so you can't backstab him later."

Fudoki: "But, but, but."

Emnei: "Fudoki actually wrote this note, he said so earlier."

Renjiro: "It really isn't looking good for you now, Fudoki. You should admit it now, or else you will forever be guilty."

Nori: "But can we even be sure Kando actually read this note? Just because Fudoki wrote it doesn't mean Kando really read it."

Akina: "Actually, he did."

Nori: "And how do you know that?"

Akina: "Because there's blood on it. That means he has to have been carrying it when he died. When he got impaled, blood splattered his pockets and wet this note. I know dumb bitches like you lack this, but all it takes is a little thinking. Not that a woman like you even thinks about anything other than their own appearance."

Nori: "Hey! That's not very nice!"

Chiyo: "Well now that we know that Fudoki wrote this note and Kando read it, I pretty sure we know who the culprit is."

Fudoki: "No! You're all wrong!"

If I don't say something now, this is just going to be non-stop back and forth. I need to prove that they are wrong.

NON-STOP DEBATE START

TRUTH BULLETS:

1) FUDOKI'S ACCOUNT

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

. Renjiro: "Fudoki's the culprit."

. Fudoki: "No! I'm not the culprit!"

. Chiyo: "Then why did you write Kando that note?"

. Fudoki: "That was *only for a chess game*.

. Renora: "Then why was his body found in his lab?"

. Renora: "You know, the place that you invited him to."

. Akina: "Also, Kando read that note."

. Akina: "The blood on the note is proof of that."

. Gyo Shin: "You invited him to his lab...."

. Gyo Shin: "impaled him with a spear......"

. Gyo Shin: "and then *left immediately after he was killed*......."

. Gyo Shin: "so you could meet up with the others and return to the gym."

. Fudoki: "No! I'm telling you you're all wrong!"

Everyone seems to think that Fudoki is the culprit, but is that really okay?

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sashi: "NO, THAT'S WRONG!"

BREAK

Sashi: "Actually, Fudoki might not really be the culprit."

Yemon: "Are you just going to shout that every time you see a contradiction?"

Sashi: "Um, yeah. Sorry."

Yemon: "Okay then. So much for my ears."

Renora: "Why do you think that Fudoki's innocent, Sashi?"

Sashi: "Gyo Shin, you said that Fudoki left right after Kando died. Correct?"

Gyo Shin: "Yeah, what about it?"

Sashi: "In that case, that contradicts what Fudoki said to me during the investigation. Fudoki, what time did you say you left Kando's lab again?"

Fudoki: "I believe it was 7:45 AM."

Sashi: "Let's think for a second. If Fudoki really killed Kando, then that information contradicts a certain piece of evidence."

Question: What evidence contradicts Fudoki's statement if he is the killer?

SELECT TRUTH BULLET

CORRECT ANSWER: MONOKUMA FILE 1

Sashi: "That's it."

Sashi: "According to the Monokuma File, Kando's time of death was 7:50 AM."

Emnei: "Which is five minutes after Fudoki said he left Kando's lab."

Nori: "Oh. That's five minutes before Kando died. Which means Fudoki isn't a suspect."

Fudoki: "Really? I'm actually off the hook now?"

Sashi: "Yep, so you can see that it's simply inconceivable that Fudoki is the culprit......"

Renjiro: "YOUR ARGUMENTS ARE TOO WEAK!"

Huh?

Renjiro: "Sorry Sashi, but that flimsy evidence isn't going to convince me."

Sashi: "Did I say something wrong Renjiro? If so, you can refute me."

Renjiro: "True, if Fudoki did leave Kando's lab at 7:45 AM, he's innocent. But that's only an 'if'."

Sashi: "What do you mean 'if'?"

Renjiro: "Fine! I guess I have to explain it to you so you can see the holes in your logic!"

REBUTTAL SHOWDOWN START

TRUTH BLADES:

1) MARIKA'S ACCOUNT

2) BLOODY NOTE

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

. Renjiro: "Fudoki says he left at 7:45 AM......."

. Renjiro: "but how do we know he's telling the truth?"

. Renjiro: "He could be lying about the time he left for all we know."

. Renjiro: "He only said he left at 7:45 AM..."

. Renjiro: "because he knew that was before the time of death......."

. Renjiro: "Since there is *nothing that collaborates his story*......."

. Renjiro: "I'm going to assume he's the killer."

Renjiro may have a point. I might be only be basing my argument on Fudoki's account. But there's a reason I believe it's true.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sashi: "I'LL CUT THROUGH YOUR WORDS!"

BREAK

Sashi: "Actually, there is something that collaborates his story."

Renjiro: "And what's that?"

Sashi: "The bloody note. It specifically says for Kando to come to his lab at 7:40 AM."

Renjiro: "Yeah, so."

Akina: "We already finished talking about that minutes ago, get with the program. Kando read that note and came to his lab at 7:40 AM."

Sashi: "But what's notable is that this matches up with the exact time Fudoki came to the Ultimate Chessmaster Lab."

Yemon: "So what? Fudoki wrote the note so of course he would follow the time."

Sashi: "Exactly, Fudoki wrote this note. But how do I know that?"

Fudoki: "Because I said so earlier. It's my handwriting."

Sashi: "Alright. Let's imagine that Fudoki is the culprit. Why would he say that? He could have just lied and said he didn't write it. That would be more convenient it for him because it puts suspicion away from him."

Renjiro: "Maybe he just didn't think that hard about it?"

Emnei: "I don't think he's that stupid. Hell, I don't think anybody is that stupid. If anybody was shown evidence that relates to their crime, of course they would lie about it. Even someone like Doryo would think that."

Doryo: "I fucking hate all of you."

Sashi: "But what's even more notable is that Fudoki wrote his signature on it. Why would he feel the need to do that? It's like he's trying to come across as suspicious."

Gyo Shin: "That's probably so Kando would follow the note. Kando would certainly follow the note's instructions if it came from somebody he trusts."

Sashi: "But that's not even necessary. Just mentioning the chess game last night would be enough for Kando to know Fudoki wrote the note. Hell, Kando might even remember that's Fudoki's handwriting."

Renora: "Why would Kando know Fudoki's handwriting?"

Sashi: "Which brings me to another point. Something else that puts suspicion away from him."

Question: Why would Kando remember Fudoki's handwriting?

SELECT TRUTH BULLET

CORRECT ANSWER: PAPER SCRAP

Sashi: "That's it."

Sashi: "Take a look at this piece of paper."

Doryo: "The fuck is that? That's just a piece of trash."

Sashi: "Well this used to be a note that Fudoki gave to Kando last night. Does anybody recognize the handwriting?"

Marika: "Oh. That's the same handwriting as the kind on the bloody note."

Sashi: "Exactly, which means Fudoki wrote this. Right, Fudoki?"

Fudoki: "Yep. That's my handwriting. After Kando checked up on me last night, he went back to his room. However, I wasn't ready to sleep yet. I wanted to play chess with Kando. But I didn't want to disturb Kando, so I wrote him a note to meet me in his lab for a game. I slid the note under the door. He must have read it, because he showed up right away."

Naeko: "Then why on earth is it torn like that?"

Chiyo: "It was apparently fed to the carnivorous plant in my lab. It can digest paper, so this was all that was left of it."

Sashi: "Now tell me, who disposed of this note?"

Naeko: "What a foolish question mortal. It was obviously Fudoki."

Sashi: "And why would he do that?"

Naeko: "Ummmm.... I'm not sure. Oh, I see. It turns out the Ultimate Mad Scientist was wrong. What a rare occurrence."

Sashi: "That's right. If it's not Fudoki, then it must be the culprit who disposed of this evidence. In other words, someone other than Fudoki!"

Chiyo: "But why would they do that?"

That's the question. Why did the culprit dispose of this evidence?

Question: Why did the culprit destroy the note?

SELECT ANSWER

A) It puts more suspicion on Fudoki

B) The culprit's handwriting is on it

C) It puts suspicion away from Fudoki

CORRECT ANSWER: C

Sashi: "That must be it."

Sashi: "The reason the culprit disposed of this evidence is because it puts suspicion away from Fudoki. If we found this note, we would know it was sent to Kando. We would then know that Kando likely recognized the handwriting. Thus, Fudoki wouldn't need to write a signature on the bloody note if he was the culprit."

Renjiro: "But why would the culprit care so much about that?"

Emnei: "Likely because the culprit was trying to frame Fudoki. The culprit saw Kando's note and decided to use it against Fudoki."

Chimon: "When you consider all that, it seems really unlikely that Fudoki is the culprit."

Renjiro: "I guess I was wrong."

Nori: "Congrats, Fudoki! You are now innocent!"

Fudoki: "Finally. It felt like I was being prosecuted for a crime I didn't commit."

Sashi: "Now that we know that Fudoki's not the culprit, his account is reliable. But if that's the case, something doesn't fit with what we thought we knew about the case."

Question: What about Fudoki's testimony doesn't match up with what we presumed about this case?

SELECT ANSWER

A) Fudoki leaving Kando's lab

B) Kando never arriving

C) Time Fudoki entered Kando's lab

D) Time Fudoki left Kando's lab

CORRECT ANSWER: B

Sashi: "That must be it."

Sashi: "According to Fudoki, Kando never arrived at this lab, but that's strange."

Renora: "Now that you bring it up, that is unusual. We presumably thought that Fudoki was lying about that and that Kando did indeed arrive at the crime scene. But since we know he's not the culprit, he must be telling the truth."

Emnei: "Why didn't Kando arrive there?"

That's another question. Depending on the answer, this could drastically change our assumptions about this case.

Question: Why didn't Kando arrive at his lab?

SELECT ANSWER

A) He was attacked somewhere else

B) He sucks at managing time

C) He didn't read the note

CORRECT ANSWER: A

Sashi: "That must be it."

Sashi: "Ah!"

Yemon: "Did you figure something out Sashi?"

Sashi: "Guys. I think we've been thinking about this case all wrong."

Gyo Shin: "What do you mean?"

Sashi: "What I mean is that I think Kando was attacked somewhere else!"

Naeko: "WHAAAATTTT!? SPEAK ENGLISH MORTAL!"

Marika: "Are you saying that he died somewhere other than his lab?"

Sashi: "Exactly. We have been wrong all along. We thought he was killed in his research lab, when in reality he was killed somewhere else."

Nori: "But that's impossible! Because we saw his body in his research lab, so he must have been murdered there!"

Chimon: "Just because his body was there doesn't mean he was killed there, dumbass."

Sashi: "The reason he didn't arrive at his lab wasn't because he didn't want to, but because he literally couldn't. He was confronted by the culprit before he could even walk there."

Chiyo: "Then how did his body arrive at his research lab?"

That's what we need to figure out. Before we can find out where he was killed, we should point out how his body ended up there.

Agreement statements are now marked with ^this^.

NON-STOP DEBATE START

TRUTH BULLETS:

1) TARP

2) WHEELBARROW

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

. Emnei: "Kando wasn't killed at his research lab."

. Emnei: "He was killed somewhere else."

. Chiyo: "In that case, how did his body end up there?"

. Marika: "He must have been moved there."

. Yemon: "Maybe the culprit carried the victim......."

. Yemon: "with ^their bare hands^."

. Gyo Shin: "Renjiro's strong enough to do it."

. Renjiro: "Rude! I have an alibi you know!"

. Renora: "I personally think his body was moved...."

. Renora: "using ^some sort of object^."

. Nori: "Are we even sure Kando's body was moved in the first place?"

. Nori: "Because none of this sounds right to me."

If Kando wasn't killed in his lab, then how did his body end up there? If it was moved, what method of transporting the body did the culprit use?

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sashi: "I agree with that!"

Sashi: "Renora, I think you're right."

Renora: "Oh, really? Congrats to me then!"

Akina: "So the body was moved using some kind of object?"

Sashi: "Yes. A wheelbarrow to be exact."

Chiyo: "Oh. That's one of the objects that went missing in my lab."

Doryo: "How the hell do you know that was used?"

Sashi: "Because I found something very unusual while I was investigating. The wheelbarrow had bloodstains on the inside of it. Now, why would that be?"

Fudoki: "Oh, I know! It's because the dead body was transported in it and the blood spilled!"

Sashi: "Exactly."

Naeko: "Alright, so we all know that Kando was killed somewhere else and that his body was moved using a wheelbarrow. But where was he even killed if not his own lab? Answer me now, or else I throw a toxic potion at you!"

Where was Kando killed? Considering all the evidence I have, there seems to be only one place that fits.

HANGMAN'S GAMBIT

Question: What is a possible location for Kando to be killed in?"

Available Letters: Y C H L B A I S O

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Correct Answer: CHIYOS LAB

Sashi: "I see now!"

Sashi: "Isn't it possible that Kando was killed in Chiyo's lab?"

Chiyo: "That sounds like a definite possibility. Wait.........WHAATTTTTTT!?"

Emnei: "Chiyo, weren't you watering plants during the time when Chiyo was murdered?"

Chiyo: "I was! From 7:30 to 8:00 AM to be exact."

Marika: "That's interesting, because the time of death was 7:50 AM. If Kando was killed in your lab, then you are the only suspect."

Chiyo: "But Kando never even went to my lab! I was just watering plants, believe me!"

Nori: "Sashi, are you seriously saying Chiyo is the culprit? She's so sweet and innocent, she could never hurt anyone."

She wasn't so sweet and innocent during the party last night.

Sashi: "I can't say for sure whether or not she's the blackened. I don't have any definite proof. But the evidence right now leads me to believe Kando was killed in Chiyo's lab."

Chiyo: "But how would Kando even arrive in my lab at the first place? He should have been heading to Fudoki's lab instead."

Fudoki: "Oh, so you trying to pin this on me even though I was already found innocent minutes ago?"

Chiyo: "Wait, no! That's not what I meant!"

Fudoki: "I've decided! Chiyo's the scum who murdered my friend and tried to pin me for the crime!"

Chiyo: "I could never do that!"

Chimon: "Um, to answer your question Chiyo, you could have just called Kando over to your lab. Since your lab is right next door to Kando's lab, you could of just called him over when you saw him walk over to his lab."

Yemon: "But is there even any evidence to support that Kando was killed in Chiyo's lab?"

Sashi: "Actually there is. It's why I made the connection in the first place."

Question: "What evidence proves that Kando was killed in Chiyo's lab?

SELECT TRUTH BULLET

CORRECT ANSWER: WET SOIL

Sashi: "That's it."

Sashi: "While I was investigating Chiyo's lab, there was something that didn't make any sense to me. For some reason, there was a specific patch of soil that was soaking wet."

Renjiro: "What's wrong with that? Chiyo said she was watering plants and you need to water the soil near the plants."

Sashi: "But there weren't any plants near this patch."

Gyo Shin: "Then why was it watered Chiyo?"

Chiyo: "I don't know. I didn't do that."

Well, I don't know if Chiyo really did or not, but there's no question that the soil is wet. But why was it hosed down?

Question: "Why did the culprit soak this specific patch of soil?"

SELECT ANSWER

A) To moisten it

B) To wash away the blood

C) They wanted to plant seeds near the patch

CORRECT ANSWER: B

Sashi: "There's only one reason why this certain patch of soil was washed off."

Akina: "Likely because there was blood on it. The culprit wanted to erase any signs of a murder happening there."

Emnei: "So Kando was murdered near that dirt patch, which caused blood to spray all over it?"

Sashi: "That seems to be the case."

Gyo Shin: "In that case, how was Kando killed? Is it really as simple as him being impaled with the spear in the garden, then being moved to his lab with the wheelbarrow?"

That's what we need to discuss. Whether or not anything is different from how we originally thought Kando was murdered. If the crime scene is different, maybe something else is different as well."

NON-STOP DEBATE START

TRUTH BULLETS:

1) SPEAR

2) GARDEN STAKE

3) WET SOIL

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

. Akina: "The crime scene was not Kando's lab..."

. Akina: "it was Chiyo's lab."

. Fudoki: "Okay, so we know the crime scene is different..."

. Fudoki: "but does that really change anything?"

. Naeko: "Maybe the murder weapon is different?"

. Nori: "I don't know..."

. Nori: "It could just be ^the spear^ like we thought."

. Yemon: "It's not like there's *anything else*..."

. Yemon: "besides a spear that could impale someone."

. Yemon: "At least, not anything I found."

. Chiyo: "Are we really sure the crime scene..."

. Chiyo: "is even my lab in the first place?"

. Chiyo: "Because I'm definitely not the culprit!"

The crime scene is Chiyo's lab. That's what found out earlier. But does that really change anything about the crime itself?

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sashi: "NO, THAT'S WRONG

BREAK

Sashi: "Actually, there is something besides the spear that could be used as a murder weapon. In fact, it was found directly in Chiyo's lab itself. A garden stake."

Doryo: "Are you fucking shitting my balls right now!? Are you seriously telling me they used a garden stake as a murder weapon!?"

Gyo Shin: "That sounds like something out of a cheesy horror movie! You know, when a serial killer is on the loose and for some reason, they use really strange and impractical methods of killing people! I remember one instance where the masked killer killed someone by taking out their intestines with garden shea—"

Chiyo: "Ewww! I don't want to hear that icky stuff! We get your point!"

Gyo Shin: "Or another time when the killer took a drill in someone's mouth and made a hole that went through the back of their thro—"

Chiyo: "STOP IT! I DON'T WANT TO HEAR THAT!"

Gyo Shin: "Hehehe."

Emnei: "Well, anyways. The garden stake definitely looks sharp enough to impale someone. It's definitely possible."

Marika: "Well a possibility is not the same as a definite possibility. Do you have any evidence to support the claim that Kando was impaled by that stake?"

Sashi: "Yes I do. While there were several garden stakes in Chiyo's lab, there was one that specifically caught my eye. This one was completely soaked from head to toe. It was as if someone took a hose and showered it with water."

Chimon: "So are you saying there was blood on the weapon, and that's why it was hosed down?"

Sashi: "Exactly. Otherwise there's no reason for the garden stake to be wet. Not to mention, it was stabbed in the patch of soil I talked about earlier, as if they were directly related. That proves that the garden stake was used in the murder!"

Renora: "But is it even possible for Chiyo to murder Kando with such an improbable weapon? Kando's like ten inches taller than her. He could easily fight back."

Chimon: "Difficult and impossible are two different things. It's certainly hard for Chiyo to kill Kando using a garden stake, but it's not literally impossible. I'd say unless there's evidence to support otherwise, almost anything is possible in terms of murder."

Fudoki: "So Chiyo truly is the culprit! That's it! I'm going to vote for her right now!

Sashi: "Hold on Chiyo. Let's discuss things a bit more before voting. We don't want to be making any wrong decisions."

Akina: "Weren't you the one who suggested Chiyo was the culprit in the first place? You literally said that Kando was murdered in Chiyo's lab. In that case, Chiyo is the only suspect."

Sashi: "I said it was possible. I wasn't completely sure. I was just seeing where the evidence went and see if we could form any conclusions off of that."

Renjiro: "Well I think Chiyo did it!"

It's true that I suggested that Chiyo's lab might be the crime scene but is she really the culprit? I feel like something doesn't add up if the truth were that simple. Some piece of evidence that contradicts what we thought.

NON-STOP DEBATE BEGIN

TRUTH BULLETS:

1) CHIYO'S ACCOUNT

2) WHEELBARROW

3) WATERED PLANTS

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

. Fudoki: "^You're the culprit Chiyo^!"

. Fudoki: "You killed my best friend and tried to frame me for the crime!"

. Chiyo: "No! I'm innocent, I tell you!"

. Naeko: "Your lies do not phase the Ultimate Mad Scientist!"

. Naeko: "The crime occurred in your lab..."

. Naeko: "where you *impaled him with a garden stake*."

. Naeko: "Such an evil plan is so foul..."

. Naeko: "that even I, the Ultimate Mad Scientist would be shocked!"

. Chiyo: "But I didn't kill anyone!"

. Emnei: "Then what were you doing when the murder happened?"

. Chiyo: "I was ^watering plants^, just like I said."

. Naeko: "LIES! LIES I TELL YOU!"

Chiyo may seem like the culprit when you look at all the evidence, but something feels off. Is she really responsible for the crime?

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sashi: "I agree with that!"

BREAK

Sashi: "Chiyo might not be the culprit at all."

Fudoki: "And why do you think that?"

Sashi: "Chiyo, you say you watering plants at the time, correct?"

Chiyo: "Yeah."

Sashi: "Let's say Chiyo is telling the truth. That would absolve her of murder because she wouldn't have time to kill Kando. She was too busy with her garden maintenance."

Renjiro: "Once again, how do we know she is telling the truth?"

Sashi: "You know the answer, right Yemon?"

Yemon: "Yes. While I was investigating Chiyo's lab, I noticed that all of the plants there were watered. They were very wet as well, meaning they must have been watered very recently. More precisely, the time when Chiyo was in her lab."

Sashi: "Exactly. Which means that Chiyo is telling the truth. That means that she's not responsible for the murder of Kando."

Chiyo: "Really!?"

Renjiro: "Hold on now, I'm still not convinced. There was a patch of wet soil in Chiyo's lab, which you yourself had brought up. If she's not the culprit, then how do you explain that?"

Fudoki: "Yeah, there's too much evidence against her right now! Some watered plants aren't going to absolve her of her guilt!"

Marika: "I agree as well. I'm sorry Sashi, but I don't think your claims bare enough evidence to convince me. There's more evidence that support her guilt than support her innocence."

Chimon: "Are you people serious? What Sashi just said literally absolved her of any guilt she may have."

Nori: "I want to believe in Chiyo! She's not the person who could kill someone!"

Yemon: "Same with me. It's not just because I want to believe in her, but because the evidence clearly shows she's innocent."

Emnei: "It seems like we're completely split down the middle. How are we ever going to come to an agreement?"

Monokuma: "LOOKS LIKE ITS TIME FOR A DEBATE!"

Monokuma: "You hear that Monopup, the students are completely split down the middle! You know what we must do when it's like this."

Monopup: "What? What do we do boss?"

Monokuma: "Dammit Monopup, did you ever read the employee manuel!? Why can't you follow basic instructions!?"

Monopup: "I'm sorry boss. I just forgot, that's all. I'll make sure to study harder!"

Monokuma: "You better, or else you're getting punished!"

Monopup: "No! Not the punishment!"

Monokuma: "Well anyways. It seems like everyone is completely split with their opinions. What do we do now, you may ask? Well that means we should have a debate to decide who's right! Get ready to present your arguments!"

Monokuma suddenly grabbed a key and jammed it into his chair. Suddenly, the ground next to our stands started lifting up in the form of circles. It kept going higher and higher until it almost reached the celling. Then the circles started moving around until they formed groups that faced each other. Presumably, each group is supposed to represent each side.

Question: "Is Chiyo the Culprit?"

She's the culprit: Marika, Gyo Shin, Fudoki, Renora, Renjiro, Doryo

She's not the culprit: Sashi, Emnei, Yemon, Nori, Naeko, Chiyo, Tetsu, Chimon, Akina

Key Words:

Yemon: Watered Plants

Emnei: Wet Soil

Chimon: Garden Stake

Sashi: Crime Scene

Chiyo: Culprit

Akina: Lab

DEBATE SCRUM START

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fudoki: "Chiyo's the culprit! She killed Kando and tried to frame me for it!"

Sashi: "Chiyo!"

Chiyo: "I can't be the culprit because I was watering plants at the time. The wet soil near the plants is prove of that."

Marika: "Those watered plants aren't definite proof. Chiyo could have watered those plants during the investigation."

Sashi: "Yemon!"

Yemon: "I was watching Chiyo in her lab during the investigation, she never did anything like that. The plants were already watered before she came anyways."

Renora: "Just because it's difficult for Chiyo to have murdered Kando with that garden stake doesn't mean it's literally impossible."

Sashi: "Chimon!"

Chimon: "Yeah I know that. I literally said that. But think about it, if she were the culprit, wouldn't she use an easier method like stabbing or strangling?"

Doryo: "The wet soil proves that a goddamn murder happened!"

Sashi: "Emnei!"

Emnei: "The wet soil could have been formed by the real culprit in order to fabricate a fake crime scene."

Gyo Shin: "Only Chiyo was in her lab at the time. No one else could have been there."

Sashi: "Akina!"

Akina: "Then the murder didn't happen in her lab after all, you dumb bitch!"

Renjiro: "If Chiyo's lab isn't the crime scene, then where else could Kando be murdered?"

Sashi: "We'll figure that out once we talk it out a bit more."

Chiyo's not the culprit, I know that for a fact. But how do we convince everyone else that their assumption is wrong?

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FULL COUNTER

Sashi, Emnei, Akina, Chimon, Naeko, Nori, Yemon, and Chiyo: "THIS IS OUR ANSWER!"

BREAK

Sashi: "Chiyo's not the culprit, which means the crime must have happened somewhere else."

Renjiro: "Wait, so does that mean our entire discussion for the last twenty minutes or so about how the murder happened in Chiyo's lab was completely pointess!?"

Sashi: "Actually it wasn't pointless at all. In fact, I knew the crime scene wasn't actually Chiyo's lab."

Marika: "Then why did you bring it up? We wasted so much time we could have used to find the real culprit."

Sashi: "The reason I brought this up was because I knew it would lead to Chiyo being figured as the killer. I needed that so I could prove her innocence. Now that she has been found innocent, we have narrowed down the suspects even more."

Chimon: "You could have just said she wasn't the culprit earlier."

Sashi: "True, but I wanted to examine all possibilities. I figured that people might not believe me unless we do things one step at a time. We should look at the most obvious conclusions first. Besides, I never know when I might be wrong. Also, now that Chiyo has been found innocent, there's one piece of evidence I now know is reliable. Something that is crucial to this case."

Question: "If Chiyo's innocent, what piece of evidence is now reliable?"

SELECT TRUTH BULLET

CORRECT ANSWER: CHIYO'S ACCOUNT

Sashi: "That's it."

Sashi: "During the investigation, Chiyo told me something interesting. She said that a wheelbarrow, garden stake, and tarp were all missing from her lab while she was in there. However, all these objects returned during the investigation. That must mean they were a part of the culprit's murder plan."

Chiyo: "Yeah. I thought it was pretty strange. I didn't know why anyone would want to use garden tools anywhere other than a garden itself. But now that you mention it, I'm certain it was used in the murder somehow!"

Emnei: "We already know that the wheelbarrow was used to move the body, but we don't know what the garden stake and tarp were used for."

Renjiro: "Wasn't the garden stake the real murder weapon?"

Marika: "Possibly, but we don't know that for sure. If the soil was wet to create a fake crime scene, then the garden stake might have been soaked to create a fake murder weapon. The garden stake could have been used for something other than a murder weapon."

Sashi: "Yes. Figuring out what these objects are used for is crucial to finding out who the killer is."

Now that Chiyo and Fudoki have been cleared of suspicion, there seems to only be two suspects left. Tetsu and Marika. Which of these people killed Kando? Who is the blackened in this case? How did they kill Kando? What is the true crime scene of this case? There's so many questions still need to be answered.

CLASS TRIAL INTERMISSION

CLASS TRIAL RESUME

Sashi: "Alright, now that we know that Chiyo is innocent, we know that Kando wasn't killed in her lab. That means that we need to figure out what the real crime scene is. From there we need to determine how the murder happened, using the objects that were found missing in Chiyo's lab. Then hopefully we can find the real culprit."

Emnei: "Since Chiyo and Fudoki have been found innocent, we now know that they are only two suspects left. Tetsu and Marika."

Marika: "Well I can assure you that I am not the culprit. But I have no evidence to back this up, so I can't be removed from suspicion I assume."

Tetsu: ".........."

Yemon: "Tetsu has been silent this entire time, so it's hard to get any information out of her."

Chimon: "Dammit Tetsu, why are you still staying silent. You are being suspected right now, you should argue back or something. If you aren't the culprit, say something. If we all vote for you because you decided to not talk, we might all be executed. Do you really want that!? Stop being a selfish asshole and contribute to our conversation already!"

Tetsu: "......"

Tetsu looked bothered by Chimon's insults, but still stayed mute.

Chimon: "You know what! If you don't say anything right now, then how about we all vote for you right now! If you are really innocent, then that will result in everyone's deaths except the blackened, including you! Everyone on board!?"

Tetsu: "......."

Chimon: "Oh, so you don't mind if everyone dies because you are a selfish bitch! Alright, let's all vote for her right now!"

I never heard Chimon so angry before. Usually he's really stoic and deadpan most of the time. It's kind of understandable why he's upset, but he's being really obnoxious right now.

Nori: "We will never agree to that! You're basically blackmailing Tetsu to speak when she doesn't want to! If she chooses to stay silent, that's her choice!"

Chimon: "Oh, so you want everyone to die, is that it!? In a class trial, it's crucial for everyone to speak up, especially those who are directly involved in the case at hand. Look, I hate talking with people as well, but I'm still speaking out because I don't want to fucking die!"

Nori: "No, I don't want anyone to die. I just think it's not necessary for Tetsu to speak right now, because I believe she's innocent. She just doesn't seem like the kind of person who would kill."

Chimon: "How the hell can you assume something like that!? She hasn't said a word the whole time she's been here! How can you assume that she wouldn't kill someone!? People like you really piss me off! Ignorant dumbasses like you risk all our lives because you believe in people without any evidence! If you want to die believing, fine! But don't drag the rest of us along with you!"

Nori: "But it's true, I really believe she's innocent. I don't think I'm risking anyone's lives by stating what I believe."

Chimon: "So are you saying Marika's guilty then!? She doesn't seem like someone who would kill either! Are you saying a smart and stoic person like her would kill while a suspicious person like Tetsu won't!? These are the only two suspects in this case, so pick one of them!"

Nori: "Actually, I think Marika is innocent as well. She also doesn't seem like a person who would intentionally commit murder."

Chimon: "How stupid are you!? If neither of them is the culprit, then who is it!? Fudoki and Chiyo have already been proven innocent, while everyone else has alibis!"

Renjiro: "WILL YOU HONESTLY JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP CHIMON!!!"

Chimon: "Why? Because I'm calling out people for their bullshit?"

Renjiro: "Tetsu and Nori aren't ruining the class trial, you are! You want Tetsu to talk, then stop being a fucking asshole! Yelling at her like that just makes her more scared to speak out! Causing arguments like this is what costs us our lives, not Tetsu's silence or Nori's belief in others! We're just trying to have a basic discussion the best we can, and you're ruining it!"

Sashi: "Chimon, just stop it. We don't know for sure who's guilty or not until we discuss things a bit more. I don't think it's necessary for Tetsu to speak right now, because she's not our main suspect right now. Besides, if really need her testimony, she can just write in her notepad like she always does. Please, stop this nonsensical argument so we can get back to what we were talking about."

Chimon: "........."

Renjiro: "What's wrong? You have no rebuttal to that?"

Renora: "Um can we just return to what we were talking about before Chimon started shouting."

Emnei: "I think Renjiro shut up Chimon, so I think we're fine for now."

Gyo Shin: "So what are we discussing again?"

Sashi: "Let's start with the real crime scene. We should try talking about that."

Akina: "Sounds good."

NON-STOP DEBATE START

TRUTH BULLETS:

1) BLOODY DUCT TAPE

2) WHEELBARROW

3) BROKEN WINDOW

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

. Renora: "If the crime scene *wasn't Chiyo's lab*..."

. Renora: "then what was it?"

. Marika: "Maybe it really was ^Kando's lab after all^..."

. Marika: "and the culprit just wanted us to think the body was moved."

. Emnei: "I don't think it was either Kando's or Chiyo's lab."

. Emnei: "I think we were right with both of these locations...."

. Emnei: "not being the actual crime scene."

. Chiyo: "So the murder happened somewhere else?"

. Nori: "I don't think so."

. Nori: "It's not like there's *any evidence that supports that*."

. Fudoki: "Maybe Sashi is just wrong then?"

Where did Kando die? Is there any evidence that supports where the crime took place?

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sashi: "NO, THAT'S WRONG!"

BREAK

Sashi: "Sorry Nori, but that's incorrect."

Nori: "Well that's not much a surprise. I'm always incorrect it seems."

Sashi: "The crime scene wasn't Chiyo's or Kando's lab, but somewhere else entirely. And there is evidence to support it."

Yemon: "What evidence is it Sashi?"

Sashi: "Me and Emnei are probably the only ones who know this, but Kando's dorm window was broken for some strange reason."

Emnei: "It was so unusual that we figured it had to do with the murder somehow."

Fudoki: "So are you saying the crime took place in Kando's room?"

Sashi: "Yes, although I'm not entirely sure how just yet."

Doryo: "Bullshit! Somebody might have just broken Kando's window as a prank or in a fit of anger! I know because I do it all the time!"

Sashi: "So Doryo, did you break this window? I know you're the only one besides the culprit who would do something like this."

Doryo: "No! I'm just trying to make a point, alright! Answer my question, you fucking whore!"

Nori: "Hey! Sashi can be as sexually active as she wants! Don't judge her for it!"

Yemon: "Don't be a prude Doryo because you are the least innocent person here! You have no right to have high moral ground in this."

Wait, do people actually think that about me?

Doryo: "I wasn't judging her; I was just insulting her!"

Emnei: "I don't think that's any better."

Akina: "Regardless, dumbass Doryo actually has a point. Do we even know this is related to the murder? There could be several reasons for why Kando's window was shattered."

Sashi: "Actually, I do know it's related to the murder, because there's evidence that supports it."

Question: What proves that Kando's broken window is related to the murder?

SELECT TRUTH BULLET

CORRECT ANSWER: HAMMER

Sashi: "That's it."

Sashi: "The broken window wasn't the only thing I found in Kando's room. I also found this."

Renora: "Is that a hammer? Where did that come from? I never seen anything like this around the school."

Renjiro: "Now that I remember, I think there was hammers in the hidden room I mentioned earlier. You know, the one in the gym."

Sashi: "Exactly. Which means that the culprit specifically brought this from the armory. That means that this was premediated rather than an action out of a fit of rage."

Gyo Shin: "I'm pretty sure if it was a prank or a result of a fit of anger, they wouldn't have thrown stones at the window or something. They wouldn't go all the way to the gym and get a hammer."

Emnei: "So this was definitely part of the culprit's plans."

Naeko: "But why would the blackened do such a thing? Answer me now mortal!"

That's what I'm wondering as well. Why would the killer do this?

Emnei: "Oh! I think I get!"

Sashi: "Did you figure something out Emnei?"

Emnei: "I think the killer broke this window because they were planning to do something to the victim afterwards. Can you figure out Sashi?"

Sashi: "You're being really vague, but I think I get what you mean."

Naeko: "So what's the reason. Answer, or you will taste the deadly toxin of my evil chemicals!"

Why did the culprit break Kando's window? Using Emnei's hint, I should be able to figure this out. Come on, think!

HANGMAN'S GAMBIT START

Question: What did the culprit do to the victim after breaking his window?

AVILABLE LETTERS: T P H S U O

_ _ _ _ _ _ _

CORRECT ANSWER: PUSH OUT

Sashi: "I see now!"

COMPLETE

Sashi: "I get it! The reason the culprit broke Kando's window was so they could push him out!"

Naeko: "That is simply foolish! Why on earth would the killer do that?"

Emnei: "Think about it. The killer was trying to move Kando's body to his lab, but that would be difficult if you kill him in his room."

Chimon: "Kando's room is on the second floor. It's pretty difficult to carry a body down the stairs like that."

Chiyo: "But wasn't the culprit using my wheelbarrow?"

Akina: "The stair steps are pretty steep. I don't think you could easily lift the wheelbarrow up the stairs like that."

Chiyo: "The wheelbarrow is pretty heavy. Especially if the killer was carrying tools in it. It's meant to be rolled, not lifted."

Renora: "So that's how they transported the body downstairs! By simply pushing it out the window!"

Sashi: "Correct. Which means Kando wasn't killed in his lab nor Chiyo's lab. He was killed in his own room."

Marika: "Wait, hold on. I have a question."

Sashi: "What is it Marika?"

Marika: "You are saying the culprit carried the body from the dorm to his lab? But isn't that rather risky. Other people might have been walking around the school searching after all. If someone saw the culprit carrying the body, it would have been game over."

Sashi: "Actually that is not a problem. Because the culprit used something to cover the body in case they were caught."

Question: What did the culprit use to cover the body?

SELECT TRUTH BULLET

CORRECT ANSWER: TARP

Sashi: "That's it."

Sashi: "You know how I brought up how we never figured out what the tarp was used for even though it went missing? Well I just figured out its function."

Renjiro: "Are you saying they used the tarp to cover the body?"

Sashi: "Exactly. So even if someone came across the culprit moving the wheelbarrow, they wouldn't know what was under it. Even the culprit was questioned, they could easily make some kind of excuse. Also, the tarp is soaking wet on one side, which means the culprit hosed it off."

Akina: "That's because there was blood on it from covering the body, correct?"

Sashi: "Which proves that the tarp was used this way!"

Yemon: "That must be it then! That's how the crime was committed! At first, I wasn't really sure how it happened. There seemed to be a lot of unusual and random clues that I couldn't quite fit together. But now that we have been discussing it, I've really been able to put the whole picture together!"

Sashi: "Exactly. This is how the culprit killed Kando and transported the body! Now all that's left is to figure out who's behind this crime!"

Akina: "But how do we do that?"

Emnei: "We should probably check everyone's alibis and see who is the most likely from that. In that case, let's go over Tetsu and Marika's alibis since they are the only two suspects."

Chimon: "Wait, it still might be possible for Fudoki to be the culprit."

Fudoki: "What do you mean!? I was proven innocent hours ago!"

Chimon: "But when you really think about it, we don't have any direct proof that he's innocent. He could of wrote his signature and destroyed his first note to make it look like he was framed. We only said he was innocent because of what we thought is unusual for the culprit. In reality, we don't know the culprit's mindset. So, without direct evidence, we can't rule him out."

Fudoki: "W-W-What!? I'm being suspected again!?"

I've got to hand it to Chimon, he has a point. There is really no evidence that proves it's impossible for him to commit the crime.

Fudoki: "But I'm not the culprit!"

Gyo Shin: "Then who is it then? Is it Marika?"

Marika: "I am not responsible for Kando's death. Though I do admit I do not have evidence to suggest this."

Doryo: "What about silent bitch over here!?"

Tetsu: "......"

Nori: "Um, since Tetsu is staying silent. I will defend her, because I do not believe she is the culprit!"

1) Fudoki: "I'm not the culprit!"

2) Marika: "I'm not the culprit!"

3) Nori: "Tetsu's not the culprit!"

MASS PANIC DEBATE START

TRUTH BULLETS:

1) MARIKA'S ACCOUNT

2) CHIYO'S ACCOUNT

3) FUDOKI'S ACCOUNT

4) TETSU'S ACCOUNT

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

. 1) Fudoki: "There's no way I could kill Kando!"

2) Marika: "I did not murder Kando."

3) Nori: "Tetsu didn't kill Kando!"

. 1) Fudoki: "Because Kando's my friend!"

2) Marika: "Though I admit there's no evidence to prove I'm innocent."

3) Nori: "She just doesn't seem like the type to hurt someone!"

. 1) Fudoki: "While there's no evidence that proves I'm innocent..."

2) Marika: "I don't care if you people suspect me."

3) Chimon: "That's not evidence though."

. 1) Fudoki: "there's *no evidence that proves I'm guilty either*."

2) Marika: "But make sure you are making the right decision."

3) Chimon: "She *had enough time to kill someone*."

. 1) Fudoki: "So stop suspecting me already!"

2) Marika: "A wrong decision costs all of our lives after all."

3) Nori: "Well, I don't believe you!"

Everyone is presenting their arguments at the same time. It's getting pretty hectic, but I should focus on the arguments that matter.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sashi: "I HEARD IT!"

BREAK

Sashi: "Tetsu's not the culprit."

Chimon: "What makes you say that?"

Sashi: "Because she wouldn't have enough time to finish her plan. She had enough time to murder, but not enough time to do everything else."

Emnei: "What do you mean Sashi?"

Sashi: "Alright, so we all agree that the culprit used the tools in the garden and returned them later. We also agree that the culprit moved the body to Kando's lab. Finally, we agree that the culprit hosed off the tarp, garden stake, and soil patch. Correct?"

Chiyo: "That's what we have been saying."

Sashi: "In that case, would Tetsu have enough time to do that in the span of around ten minutes? Because she met up with the others at around 8:00 AM, where she then met up with Fudoki and Chiyo. They then all headed to the gym at 8:05 AM."

Chiyo: "That is true. We did meet around that time."

Chimon: "I guess I was wrong then. Because Kando did die at 7:50 AM, a mere ten minutes before everyone met up."

Emnei: "Not to mention, Chiyo was in her lab until 8:00 AM, so Tetsu couldn't of entered there and do her dirty work."

Sashi: "That means that not only Tetsu is innocent, but also Fudoki, since they met up and returned to the gym at the same time."

Nori: "See Chimon! I told you I was right! Haha, suck on that!"

Chimon: "Only out of pure coincidence rather than any logical thought."

Renora: "Wait, hold on. Doesn't that mean there's only one suspect left?"

Unfortunately, yes. I don't want to condemn this person. I don't want to condemn any of my friends, but it's the only way we can survive. When you consider everyone's alibis at look at all the options, only one person could possibly have done this.

SELECT SOMEONE

CORRECT ANSWER: MARIKA NAGAO

Sashi: "It has to be you."

DECIDE

Sashi: "Marika, are you the culprit behind this?"

Marika: "......."

Chiyo: "Marika's the killer!?"

Nori: "Sashi, what the hell are you talking about!? There's no way Marika's the culprit!"

Sashi: "But she's the only suspect left. Everyone who searched for Kando eventually met up and went to the gym at 8:05 AM. Except for Marika; she entered the gym at 8:40 AM, which is more than enough time to finish her plan."

Yemon: "I guess, but Marika killing someone? I would have never thought in a million years that she would kill someone."

Emnei: "She always seemed so calm and collected. She even encouraged us to not commit murder after the motive was revealed. How could someone like her commit murder?"

Sashi: "I don't know! All I know is that this is where the evidence leads to!"

Before I even realized it, tears were coming out of my eyes. Why her? Why did she have to be the culprit? I thought she was our friend. Why would she do something so awful?

Sashi: "I don't want to do this. I don't want to suspect any of my friends. But she's the only one. So please Marika, refute me. If you are truly innocent, please say why. I'm perfectly happy to be wrong. But right now, you are the only suspect.

Nori: "Please Marika! You didn't do this, right!? You have to be innocent! Because I believed in you! Even now, I still believe in you, so say something!"

Marika: "...."

Chiyo: "Please Marika!"

Marika: "...."

Yemon: "Refute Sashi! We're all begging you Marika!"

People were crying on the thought of Marika being the culprit. We were all begging her to argue back because we didn't want it to be true. Even then, Marika stayed silent. Until....

Marika: "Sashi. I understand you are trying to find the culprit to save all of our lives, but please believe me when I say I'm not the culprit. I didn't murder Kando."

Chimon: "Didn't you say earlier that you didn't have any evidence that proves you're innocent?"

Marika: "I thought I did. But now that I've been thinking about it, I've come up with a rebuttal. Something that will prove my innocence once and for all."

Nori: "Really!? What is it!?"

Marika: "Sashi, you say I pushed Kando out the window?"

Sashi: "Yes. That's what I concluded."

Marika: "Then why aren't there any injuries on Kando? If he was pushed out of a two-story building, then he should have at least had some minor bruises. But there was nothing like that on his body. Even though he should have landed on the planter box, the hotel is still tall enough for Kando to be injured."

Gyo Shin: "Maybe we just didn't see any because they were hidden under his clothes?"

Marika: "That is not what I am talking about. Of course, none of you would check under his clothes for bruises. I am talking about the Monokuma File."

Sashi: "What about it?"

Marika: "Right here it says that "No other injuries can be noted." Which means that the victim didn't suffer from any other injuries."

Renora: "Maybe it wasn't written because Monokuma didn't think it was important?"

Monokuma: "Hey! I object to that statement! Even though this is a killing game, I try to make the class trials fair to all students! If it says there was no other injuries, there was no other injuries! Goddamn it, why are bears so untrustworthy!?"

Monopup: "Maybe if it came from me, they would trust it."

Monokuma: "Bullshit! Bears are way more trustworthy than dogs!"

But dogs are pets while bears are wild animals that sometimes attack people. Dogs are must more trustworthy.

Monopup: "That hurts real deep boss!"

Monokuma: "Shut up! Robots don't have feelings anyways!"

Sashi: "So you confirm that the victim didn't suffer from any bruises or scratches?"

Monokuma: "Yep. Sure, as can be."

Marika: "Monokuma just proved my statement. That means it is simply inconceivable that I'm the culprit."

Even when being cornered, Marika is as calm as ever.

Emnei: "But you're still the only suspect based on our alibis though."

Marika: "Not necessarily. The only reason you suspect me is because I arrived at the gym last. However, that is not the only time the objects could have returned to the lab. Think about this, if Fudoki was the culprit all along, he wouldn't even need to move the body. He could have just taken the tools out of Chiyo's lab, killed Kando when he arrived, then met up with everyone else. Then when the body was discovered, he could of secretly placed the garden tools back at Chiyo's lab and tampered with the scene to make it look like a murder happened there while everyone was focused on the body."

Nori: "When you put it like that, Marika really isn't the suspect after all."

Fudoki: "Wait hold on now. Why am I being suspected again!? This is like the third time now! This isn't the ending I wanted!"

Marika: "You see Sashi, I am not the only suspect in this murder. As long as there are other possibilities, you can't assume I am the killer."

Renora: "So Marika really isn't the culprit after all! Congratulations Marika!"

Chiyo: "Yay! Marika is now been found innocent! Everything's fine now!"

Fudoki: "NO! Everything is not fine now!"

Was I wrong? Is Marika really not the killer? Was it really Fudoki all along? Was Kando not killed in his dorm room after all? I was certain I was correct with my reasoning, but I ended up just accusing my friends without any logical basis.

Chimon: "Hold on. This hasn't been proven yet. Marika could still be the killer."

Marika: "What do you want?"

Chimon: "Listen Sashi. The only defense Marika has is that no injuries showed up on Kando's body. If we can prove why that is the case, then her entire cover is blown. She's still the most likely suspect after all. I don't even think Fudoki is smart enough to come with such a clever plan anyways."

Fudoki: "Rude! I could have totally come up with a clever plan like that! Uh, I mean; yeah, I'm totally not smart enough to commit such a complicated murder. So, I'm innocent."

Nori: "Don't worry Fudoki. We assure you that you are intelligent enough to come up with such a clever murder."

Fudoki: "Wait, no! I'm not the culprit! Though I could be a clever one if I wanted to be."

Sashi: "What's your point Chimon? Is there really a way for Kando to be pushed out the window without him having any injuries?"

Chimon: "Ugh, do I really have to spell it out for you. What I mean is this."

Chimon: "TIME TO EDUCATE YOUR DUMBASS!"

What!?

Chimon: "If you can't figure it out on your own, I guess I better help your dumbass. It's not like anyone listens to what I have to say anyways. So, let's figure it out together."

Loginator: Time for a new minigame. This is not a part of the actual fanfic dialogue. This is the writer talking to you. This is the one and only new minigame in this fanfic, as the usual minigames can't really be rewritten like usual due to there being no gameplay. So, there's no new Rebuttal Showdown or Hangman's Gambit. This is called Logic Team. It's basically like Rebuttal Showdown, except instead of someone arguing against you, they are helping you figure out a particular mystery that's hard to figure out. In this minigame, you are agreeing with the opposing side rather than refuting them. This was inspired by the Logic Refresh minigame in the Korean fangame Super Danganronpa Another 2. Hope you enjoy this new minigame.

LOGIC TEAM START

TRUTH BULLETS:

1) SPEAR

2) TARP

3) GARDEN STAKE

4) WHEELBARROW

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

. Chimon: "You weren't wrong with your initial assumption."

. Chimon: "Marika is the culprit."

. Chimon: "Her only defense is that Kando's body..."

. Chimon: "didn't have any injuries listed on the Monokuma File."

. Chimon: "So if we figure out how to tear down that argument..."

. Chimon: "her entire defense collapses."

ADVANCE

Sashi: "What Marika saying is true though. There should have been some bruises on Kando's body if he fell out the window. Are you saying there's a way he wouldn't have any bruises and still fall out the window?"

. Chimon: "Think about it."

. Chimon: "How do you fall from a great height without injury?"

. Chimon: "Your fall ^has to be cushioned^ in some way."

. Chimon: "So Kando's fall was cushioned, preventing injury."

. Chimon: "There's ^something that could have been used as a cushion^."

. Chimon: "You know what it is, don't you?"

. Chimon: "It's in your evidence."

Chimon is saying that Kando didn't have any injuries because his fall was cushioned. Is there anything that could have been used as a cushion?

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chimon and Sashi: "WE FORMED OUR LOGIC TOGETHER!"

BREAK

Sashi: "Marika, I think I've found a hole in your argument."

Marika: "What do you mean? Do explain."

Sashi: "You say that Kando didn't fall out the window because he didn't have any bruises on him. But what if his fall was cushioned?"

Marika: "I guess that's possible. But there's no evidence to suggest-."

Sashi: "Wrong. There is evidence. Specifically, the garden stake."

Gyo Shin: "Wait are you seriously telling me a garden stake was used as a cushion!?"

Sashi: "That's exactly it. The garden stake was used to cushion Kando's fall."

Marika: "Please Sashi. This is no joking matter. Our lives are at stake here."

Gyo Shin: "Was that a pun just now? You say this is no joking matter, but you just made a joke right now."

Marika: "T-That was completely accidental."

Sashi: "I assure you, I'm dead serious. It might sound ridiculous at first but think about it. What would happened if Kando landed on a garden stake that's standing upright? Specifically, if his chest landed on it?"

Gyo Shin: "Oh! His body would get impaled like a giant shish kabob! You know like in certain horror movies-!"

Chiyo: "Eww! We don't want to hear about more of your gross horror movies!"

Sashi: "That's right. Kando wasn't actually killed in his room. Rather, he was killed right outside his room. By being impaled by a garden stake. That's why no other injuries were listed. It's because he was impaled before he hit the ground!"

Nori: "Wait, so is Marika the culprit after all?"

Yemon: "You still have a defense, right Marika?"

Marika: "I do have a defense alright. It's a defense that will destroy your entire accusation."

NON-STOP DEBATE START

TRUTH BULLETS:

1) GARDEN STAKE

2) MARIKA'S ACCOUNT

3) SPEAR

4) MONOKUMA FILE 1

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

. Marika: "You say Kando fell on the garden stake?"

. Marika: "Nonsense. As the garden stake that Kando would fall on..."

. Marika: "would be *sharp on only one side*."

. Chiyo: "All the garden stakes in my lab have only one sharp point..."

. Chiyo: "so Marika is correct there."

. Marika: "But in order for Kando to be impaled..."

. Marika: "the stake would *have to be sharp on both sides*."

. Marika: "One side to stab the planter box..."

. Marika: "in order to keep the stake upright."

. Marika: "And one side to impale Kando..."

. Marika: "when he falls on the stake."

. Marika: "As this is clearly contradictory..."

. Marika: "^I am not the culprit^."

Marika's point is valid but is there any way to refute it? She's still the most likely suspect, so I can't be afraid now.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sashi: "NO, THAT'S WRONG!"

BREAK

Sashi: "I'm sorry Marika, but you're wrong."

Marika: "In what way?"

Sashi: "While it's true that the garden stake is only sharp on one side, it would have been sharp on both sides in this case."

Marika: "What on earth are you talking about?"

Sashi: "I'm talking about the spear. While me and Emnei were investigating the hidden room, we came across a spear exactly like the one impaled into Kando. But what's really interesting is that the tip is detachable."

Marika: "What's your point? What does a spear have to do with a garden stake anyways? So what if the tip is detachable? It has nothing to do with the discussion at hand."

Sashi: "But it does. If you were to detach the tip of the spear, you could attach it to the garden stake. Effectively making it a two-sided weapon. So, unless you have a rebuttal-."

Marika: "YOUR ARGUMENTS ARE BADLY CONSTRUCTED!"

Marika: "While I understand your reasoning, it is completely misguided. If you look at the facts, you will come to realize that you are wrong."

Sashi: "My reasoning isn't misguided. I realized I was right because I looked at the facts."

Marika: "You still don't see, do you? Then I'll prove to you why you are wrong. Then I'll finally be proven innocent."

REBUTTAL SHOWDOWN START

1) SPEAR

2) GARDEN STAKE

3) MONOKUMA FILE 1

4) BLOODY DUCT TAPE

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

. Marika: "I praise you for trying to find the culprit..."

. Marika: "but I am simply not who you are looking for."

. Marika: "The culprit must be someone else."

. Marika: "Your logic may be sound at first glance."

. Marika: "However, it is completely misguided."

. Marika: "If you look at all the evidence..."

. Marika: "it is evident that I'm innocent."

ADVANCE

Sashi: "My logic isn't misguided. I found out you were guilty because I looked at all the evidence."

. Marika: "You say that the tip of the spear..."

. Marika: "was attached to the garden stake..."

. Marika: "effectively making a *two-sided weapon*."

. Marika: "But how does one attach them together in the first place?"

. Marika: "I guess the culprit could have used something to stick them together."

. Marika: "However, there was *nothing like that at the scene*."

. Marika: "So please Sashi, reconsider your accusation."

Marika says that there's nothing to stick the weapons together, but is that really true?

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sashi: "I'LL CUT THROUGH YOUR WORDS!"

BREAK

Sashi: "You're wrong Marika. There is something that could of have been used to attach the weapons together. You know what I'm talking about, right Emnei?"

Emnei: "Yeah. When me and Sashi were investigating, we found something very interesting in the hotel trash can. We found a piece of bloody duct tape, which could have been used to attach the spear tip to the garden stake."

Sashi: "Not to mention, it being bloody proves that Kando was impaled on the two-sided weapon. Which means, Kando fell on the garden stake after all!"

Nori: "Sashi, why do you keep insisting Marika is the killer!? There's no way she could kill a person!"

Chiyo: "Sashi, no matter how much evidence you fly in my face, I won't believe it unless Marika confesses right on the spot!"

Sashi: "Very well. Marika, did you kill Kando? We're all waiting for your answer."

Marika: "Sashi, can you please tell me why you are so desperate to pin me for Kando's murder?"

Chimon: "Just answer the question."

Marika: "No, I am innocent, I assure you."

Renjiro: "You're still saying you're innocent! Why don't you just give up already!"

Marika: "It feels like no matter how much I refute your accusations; I can't change your mind Sashi. Why won't you believe me?"

Sashi: "Give me a reason to believe you! I don't want to do this! I want to believe you're innocent, but your arguments just aren't convincing enough!"

Marika: "Sashi. I admit I was wrong about Kando not being killed near his dorm. You are correct on that point. Kando was pushed out the window and impaled on a two-sided weapon."

Akina: "Then why won't you give up Marika!? The more you argue, the more upset I get! Can't you just confess so we can be done with this shitty trial! I don't want to think you're guilty either, but the evidence says you are! So please confess already! Even though you're a woman, you're a woman I liked!"

Akina liking a woman other than herself? That's a rare occurrence.

Marika: "I won't give up because I am innocent. Believe me, if I was guilty, I would have confessed a long time ago. Sashi, the only reason you keep insisting that I'm the culprit is because of how long I was searching for Kando. But once again, I am not the only suspect. Even if Kando wasn't killed in his lab, Fudoki is still a suspect."

Fudoki: "Again!? This is the fourth time I have been accused of murder in this class trial!"

Marika: "Tetsu is also a suspect as well. The only person that is truly innocent is Chiyo. But that's only because there was direct evidence saying so. You think Fudoki and Tetsu are innocent because of their alibis, but you also think I'm guilty because of my alibi. Doesn't that seem a little hypocritical to you?"

Yemon: "Sashi, are you picking favorites!? Are you only insisting Marika's the killer because you like her the least!?"

Nori: "It sounds like you have no evidence to support your accusation! Dammit Sashi, I thought I trusted you! Why did you have to be like this!?

Instantly, everyone started ganging up on me. They all think I'm wrong. They don't believe my evidence. No matter what I say, I can't convince anyone of the truth.

Sashi: "No, that's not what I meant! I'm not picking favorites! Marika is a more obvious suspect than them because of how long she was gone! I'm just trying to find the truth!"

Marika: "Then where is your evidence? If I'm guilty, you need to provide indisputable proof, which you haven't so far. Unless you can back up your accusations, we are going to call you out for mindlessly accusing people without any thought."

Akina: "I'm starting to think Marika isn't guilty after all. Sashi, what the fuck is wrong with you!? You tried to convince me of something that wasn't even true!"

Thus began an endless circle of arguments between me and most of the other students. If feels like the only people that didn't gang up on me were Emnei, Chimon, Doryo, and Tetsu. It felt like it was never going to end. Until someone spoke up, someone that I least expected to speak up.

Tetsu: "I-I have proof!"

Instantly everyone shut up and looked at Tetsu. We were all to surprised for words.

Naeko: "Am I hallucinating, or did I just hear the silent fool speak!?"

Emnei: "What is your proof Tetsu!? You can write it down if you want!"

Instantly Tetsu began writing on her notepad and tossed the paper ball to me. I read out the words that were listed.

Sashi: "I saw Marika carrying a wheelbarrow with a tarp over it. I couldn't tell, but it looked like a lot of stuff was under it. Sorry I didn't say so earlier. I was nervous and didn't want to accuse anybody without reason. I didn't think anything of it until just recently."

Marika: "~!"

Even though Marika didn't say anything, I could see her losing her cool. Her stoic and collected demeanor had completely shattered once the truth was revealed.

Nori: "WAIT! WHAATTT!? Are you telling me Marika really was guilty!? Was I wrong this whole time!? I'm so sorry Sashi!"

Yemon: "Why did I accuse Sashi of picking favorites!? In that case, I'm way worse in terms of mindless accusations! My deepest apologizes Sashi!"

Emnei: "Tetsu, I think you just saved us all! Thank you so much!"

Tetsu gave a slight smile at us before looking back on her notepad.

Chimon: "I think we have indisputable proof now. Marika is without a doubt, the killer of Kando Yamamoto."

Marika: "Wait, hold on. That hasn't been proved yet."

Sashi: "Tell me how that isn't proof of your guilt Marika."

Marika: "Tetsu probably just lied about that. Because she's the culprit, not me. Who do you believe more, Tetsu, or me?"

Nori: "Sorry Marika but I think I'm going to believe Tetsu. Like Sashi said, she arrived at the gym way earlier than you. I want to believe you, but the evidence doesn't look good."

Gyo Shin: "I believe Tetsu 100%. This is the first time I ever heard her talk. There's no way the first sentence I hear from her is a lie."

Chimon: "I already thought Marika was guilty, so I'm not changing my mind on this."

Sashi: "So Marika, do you have a rebuttal?"

Marika: "................... Ah!"

Renjro: "Do you have a defense Marika?"

Marika: "Sashi, you say that Kando was impaled the stake?"

Akina: "Yeah, she brought that up like half an hour ago. Besides, didn't you say she was right regarding that?"

Marika: "I thought so at first. But now that I'm thinking about it, there's something that contradicts that claim. If Kando was impaled like you said, then blood would have been splattered everywhere, correct? In that case, why was there no blood on the planter box below Kando's window?"

Renora: "Maybe the planter box was soaked with water?"

Marika: "If so, the planter box would have been wet, but that wasn't the case. Correct Sashi? You were at the scene so you should know."

Sashi: "No. The planter box was dry as far as I could tell."

Marika: "Then your entire argument is wrong. In the end, you still don't have any evidence. All you stated was nothing but theories. Theories without any basis. No matter how much you say otherwise, I am still not the culprit."

Even after Tetsu gave her statement, Marika still won't give up. I can't back down when I have gotten this far. This is her final argument. I need to prove that she's wrong, so I can end this horrible class trial once and for all.

ARGUMENT ARMAMENT START

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PHASE 1:

"I am not the culprit."

"I could never kill someone."

"I understand your logic..."

"but it is completely misguided."

"If you look at the evidence..."

"There's no way I'm guilty."

PHASE 2:

"I'm innocent, please believe me."

"I am not the only suspect."

"So why do you think I'm the culprit?"

"You have yet to provide any indisputable evidence."

"Only theories and possibilities."

"You can't convict me with just that."

PHASE 3:

"No matter how much I argue..."

"I can't convince any of you!"

"There's no more evidence that says I'm guilty..."

"then anyone else!"

"You only think I'm guilty because of my alibi!"

"While others are innocent because of their alibis!"

"Your accusation is completely hypocritical!"

FINAL BLOW!

"Why the hell aren't there any bloodstains on the planter box!?"

W: TARP

A: STABBED

S: THROUGH

D: STAKE

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STABBED STAKE THROUGH TARP

Sashi: "It ends here!"

Marika: "AHHHHHHHH!"

BREAK

Sashi: "The reason there aren't any bloodstains is because the tarp was used to cover any blood drops. Even if some blood spilt out of the planter box, the tarp could be used to wipe it off."

Marika: "You can't prove that!"

Sashi: "Except I can. Right in the middle of the tarp is a hole. Why is there a hole you may ask? Because you pierced the garden stake through the tarp in the planter box."

Marika: "~!"

Renjiro: "You can't argue back now, can you?"

Sashi: "Not to mention, one side of the tarp was clearly washed off, as I mentioned earlier. With that, there's nothing you can possibly refute!"

Marika: "I'm innocent I tell you! Why won't you believe me!?"

Emnei: "You're still playing the victim card?"

Sashi: "Fine. If you won't admit it, then how about we look at the case one more time again. With that, your crimes will be revealed for all to see."

CLOSING ARGUMENT START

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sashi: "This is the truth of the case!"

DANGANRONPA

ACT 1

Sashi: "This case began when Yemon invited everyone to the party to prevent any murders from happening. Everyone was supposed to stay until the motive ran out. However, Fudoki didn't come to the party. This resulted in Kando leaving the gym in the middle of the night to go check on him. After Kando saw Fudoki was okay, he went back to his room. But not before being invited to a chess game via a note from Fudoki. After their game, Fudoki and Kando went back to sleep. However, the next morning Fudoki wanted to invite Kando to another chess game, so he slid a note under Kando's door, not wanting to disturb him in case he was sleeping. However, Kando was in fact awake and had read the note. He then put the note into his pocket."

ACT 2

Sashi: "When everyone woke up at the gym, we all realized Kando was missing. In order to find him, we let a few people leave the gym in order to search for him. These people were Chiyo, Tetsu, and the culprit of this case. Tetsu got scared however, so she locked herself in her room during the search, while Chiyo spent her time watering the plants in her lab. While this was happening, the culprit claimed to be searching for Kando. But this wasn't to make sure he was safe, but rather to kill him.

ACT 3

Sashi: "After the culprit left the gym, they brought a couple of tools to the dorms. These tools were crucial to their murder plan. These tools including a garden stake, a tarp, duct tape, a hammer, and a spear, which were all carried in a wheelbarrow. The tarp, gardens stake, and wheelbarrow all came from Chiyo's lab, while the spear and hammer came from the hidden armory in the gym. The culprit likely prepared these tools last night while everyone was sleeping, as there wasn't enough time to grab these supplies during her search. Especially since Chiyo was in her lab during the search, meaning the culprit couldn't grab things from there without being witnessed. After she arrived at the dorms, she went to a specific place, the planter box outside Kando's window. First, the culprit laid the tarp all over the planter box, which was to prevent any bloodstains from being spilled on the planter box. Then they stabbed the garden stake through the tarp, leaving a hole in the middle of it. Unluckily for them, this was crucial evidence in discovering their murder plan. After this, they removed the tip from the spear they brought. This was possible because this specific spear was unique. Its tip was purposely detachable. The culprit then attached the tip to the top of the garden stake, effectively making a two-sided weapon. To make sure these objects were connected properly, they wrapped duct tape around where the weapons were attached together."

ACT 4

Sashi: "The culprit then walked over to Kando's room. Presumably, the door was closed, so they ringed the doorbell. After Kando let them in, the culprit began their scheme. First, they shattered Kando's window with the hammer they brought. They then dropped the hammer at the scene. I imagine this must have really shocked Kando. What seemed to be a nice visit from the culprit to check on him was actually a trap to let them vandalize his room. However, this wasn't just a random act of vandalism. This was actually crucial to what the culprit wanted. After shattering his window, the culprit suddenly shoved Kando out his newly broken window. This resulted in Kando falling to the ground, or so we thought at first. Kando actually landed on the two-sided weapon placed in the planter box below chest first. This resulted in Kando immediately being impaled through the chest, instantly killing him."

ACT 5

Sashi: "After killing Kando, the culprit headed down the dorm stairs to where his body was. First, they pulled the weapon out of Kando's chest. They then placed Kando in the wheelbarrow, which allowed for easy transportation of the body. Afterwards, the culprit removed the duct tape. However, since the duct tape pierced through Kando's body, it was covered in blood. Realizing this would be damning evidence, they tossed the tape in the trash at a ditch attempt to get rid of the evidence. However, that didn't prevent me from seeing it in the trash bin during the investigation, which was important in figuring out the culprit's plans. The culprit then attached the bloody tip back onto the spear. They then put the spear on top of the body in the wheelbarrow. Next the culprit removed the garden stake from the planter box and also placed it in the wheelbarrow. Finally, the culprit took the tarp and covered the wheelbarrow with it, which removed the tools and body from view in case anyone saw them. In this case, someone did witness them carrying the wheelbarrow. This person was Tetsu, who I imagined just came out of their room only to see them heading away from the dorms with a tarp-covered wheelbarrow. This witness testimony was the indisputable evidence thar proves they were the one behind the murder."

ACT 6

Sashi: "The culprit then headed to Kando's lab. However, this was probably not the killer's original plan. They probably planned on moving the body to Chiyo's lab to frame her for the murder. However, sometime between when Kando was killed and when the body was moved to Kando's lab, the culprit read Kando's note in his pocket. Seeing this, they decided to utilize a clever plan that framed both Chiyo and Fudoki simultaneously. After heading to Kando's lab, they placed the body in the middle of the room. They then stabbed the spear through Kando's chest, covering it in blood. This not only hid the fact that only the tip was bloody previously but also obfuscating the real murder weapon. In reality, the weapon was neither the spear nor the garden stake, but both at the same time."

ACT 7

Sashi: "The culprit then left Kando's lab, still carrying the tarp, garden stake, and wheelbarrow. They then headed to Chiyo's lab, where they likely originally planned on placing the body. After placing the wheelbarrow back in the toolshed, they took out a hose and started pouring water on the bloody tools. First, they soaked the bloody side of the tarp, removing all signs of blood. They then left the tarp in the toolshed along with the wheelbarrow. They then hosed down a specific patch of soil. This was used to create a fake crime scene for which we thought the murder took place, effectively framing Chiyo for the crime. Next, they soaked the garden stake from head to bottom, removing all signs of it being a murder weapon. They then stabbed the garden stake into the wet soil, making us think Kando was impaled with it by the soil patch. Finally, they took the note that Fudoki wrote last night and placed it in the carnivorous plant. They did this specifically to get rid of it, as the note put suspicion away from Fudoki, as it proves that Kando would have recognized Fudoki's handwriting and have played a previous game with him. This means it was pointless for Fudoki to write his signature on his most recent note, proving that he was framed for the crime. I don't know when the killer was able to obtain this note, but I assume they must have found it in Kando's room. Afterwards, the plant slowly started to digest the paper until only a small scrap remained."

ACT 8

Sashi: "After finishing their plan, the culprit headed out of Chiyo's lab. They then walked over to the gym. However, Fudoki, Chiyo, and Tetsu all headed to the gym together beforehand. This was likely not expected by the culprit. I imagined they clenched their fist in anger, knowing this could be used against them in the trial, which is exactly what happened. Since this culprit was gone the longest, we figured they were the only one who would have had enough time to carry out the entire plan. And the culprit behind this incident........."

Sashi: "Is you, Marika Nagao, the Ultimate Architect!"

COMPLETE

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sashi: "This is the entire truth of the case! Am I wrong, Marika Nagao!"

Marika: ".......... After hearing all of that, I have no choice but to give up."

Nori: "Wait, so you really did kill Kando Marika!?"

Marika: "Yes. I did something unforgivable. I murdered Kando Yamamoto."

CLASS TRIAL ALLRISE!

TRIAL PHASES:

1\. NON-STOP DEBATE

2\. NON-STOP DEBATE

3\. REBUTTAL SHOWDOWN

4\. NON-STOP DEBATE

5\. HANGMAN'S GAMBIT

6\. NON-STOP DEBATE

7\. NON-STOP DEBATE

8\. DEBATE SCRUM

9\. NON-STOP DEBATE

10\. HANGMAN'S GAMBIT

11\. MASS PANIC DEBATE

12\. LOGIC TEAM

13\. NON-STOP DEBATE

14\. REBUTTAL SHOWDOWN

15\. ARGUMENT ARMAMENT

16\. CLOSING ARGUMENT

CLASS TRIAL END

Monokuma: "Um, are you people done arguing now? Has everyone decided on who's the culprit? Are we ready to start voting?"

Chimon: "The culprit has confessed so of course we are ready to vote."

All the sudden, the normally blank screen on my stand turned on and on it were the pictures of all the other students. Even though I didn't want to, I pressed Marika's picture and pressed the vote button. After waiting for a bit for everyone else to vote, the screen said "ANNOUCEMENT" and turned black again."

Monokuma: "Puhuhuhu... It seems the voting has finished. Now then, let's see the result."

The screen behind Monokuma turned on and it displayed all the tallied votes for each student. Under Marika, there were fifteen tallies. This meant that everyone voted for her, even Marika herself. I guess it shows that she really has confessed to the crime.

Monokuma: "Who'll be chosen as the blackened!? Will you make the right choice or the dreadfully wrong one!? What's it going to be!? What's it going to be!?"

The screen suddenly turned to a wheel with the faces of every student on each section. On top of the middle of the wheel was an arrow. The wheel started to spin rapidly before slowly stopping. It eventually landed with Marika right on top of the arrow. The screen suddenly started flashing and a small jingle could be heard, which means we voted correctly, I guess?

Monokuma: "Annnd, it looks like everyone was right on the money! You all voted correctly! The blackened who killed Kando Yamamoto was none other than Marika Nagao!"

Marika: "......"

Nori: "Wait, so it really was true!? You killed Kando, Marika!?"

Yemon: "Why!? Why would you do something like this!?"

We were all equally shocked and surprised by our vote being correct, even if Marika had already admitted to the crime. We just couldn't believe that she could kill one of our friends. However, there was one person who wasn't sad or shocked, but rather furious. They were nothing but furious at Marika for what she did.

Fudoki: "You, bastard! Why the hell did you do this!? What on earth is wrong with you!? Why did you murder my best friend!? You'll pay for this!!!"

Marika: "......"

Sashi: "Please Marika! Answer us! Why did you kill him!? I'm sure whatever your reason is, we'll be able to understand it. This is a killing game after all. The mastermind is at fault, not you. So please tell us! We won't accept your execution unless you tell us!"

Emnei: "Is it really because of the motive?"

Marika: "....... Yes."

Gyo Shin: "The motive? But I thought you said you didn't have it?"

Marika: "Oh. That was a lie."

Chiyo: "Wait! Does that mean you lied to us because you were planning to murder someone as soon as you got the motive!?"

Marika: "It is true that I thought about murdering someone as soon as I got the motive. However, I wasn't quite sure what my plan was yet, and whether I would actually go through with it. I still lied in case the perfect opportunity ever presented itself to me, as I didn't want more suspicion to fall on me. So, I lied about not having the motive and made it look like someone else was purposely not saying they had the motive."

Sashi: "Who was listed under your motive? Who was the most important person to you? Was it really someone so significant that it drove you to kill in order to protect them?"

Marika: "It was my father."

Renora: "But you said that we shouldn't believe these motives and act on them even if we wanted to protect our important people! You said that the people behind this killing game are responsible for the possibility of your family members dying, not us! If so, why did you act on this!? If you could encourage us, why couldn't you encourage yourself!? I thought you were the kind of person who could have easily resisted any urge to kill!"

Marika: "My speech was not a lie. I was truly trying to encourage others not to kill and ensure them not to act on their impulses. Even if I couldn't bring myself to murder another student, I shouldn't allow others to do the same. If anyone should die, it should be by my selfish hands."

Nori: "Even as you explain, I still don't understand! If you could influence others so easily, why couldn't you influence your own actions! Was it really that different for you than it was for us!? I mean, everyone who got that motive was utterly shocked by it, but we still managed to not kill anybody! Why couldn't you do the same!?!"

Suddenly Marika started to squint her eyes, as if she was trying to resist the temptation to burst into tears. It was the most emotion I had ever seen from her.

Marika: "I think, I was trying to encourage myself more than trying to encourage other people. When I first saw that motive, my first emotion was utter fear, shock, and sadness. I tried my best to resist my emotions, but I couldn't get the thoughts of my dead father out of my mind. So, I tried to give myself excuses of why I shouldn't try to protect him. But it was completely useless! In the end, I gave into that fear, and killed someone in cold blood."

Sashi: "Marika..."

As Marika's eyes started to water, so did mine. In fact, several others started crying for Marika. Even though she betrayed us, we couldn't really blame her. As you can't really bring normal morality to such a cruel world. A place where murder is far more justified than in the real world due to the horrifying circumstances. Even if we could resist the urge to kill, we can't say the same for everyone. Some people are more affected by certain motives than others.

Renjiro: "You must have really loved your father, huh."

Marika: "My father was so caring, so supportive, so inspirational. While everyone who received the motive was very heartbroken, it was especially difficult for me. Not just because he's the best father I could ever ask for, but because he's the only family I got. My parents divorced while I was no older than a toddler. As a result, I don't even know who my mother is, nor I ever will get to know. I'm an only child, so I don't have any siblings. My father is also an only child, and his grandparents are long dead. I don't have very many friends at school or online. In short, my father is not just a very important person to me, but the only significant person to me. If I lost him, I would lose everyone who is important to me! And there was no way I could just let that slide!"

Emnei: "I understand, I really do. But still, it was most likely a lie that Monokuma made up! You didn't have to act on it!"

Marika: "You may think it's so easy to say 'this motive is a lie, so we shouldn't follow it because Monokuma doesn't have that kind of influence', when in reality, we don't know whether it's true or false. It might not be realistic for the person behind this to have such easy access to our important people, but nothing in this killing game has been realistic so far! If I can believe that a robotic bear and puppy dog are running this school, while shouldn't I believe that they will kill my father at a whim! We don't know what kind of situation we're in, so we don't know whether the person behind this can truly kill our important people or not! Whether it's a lie or the truth, I was still driven to murder because I couldn't possibly handle the possibility of it being true! I had to protect him, no matter the cost!"

Chiyo: "Marika, I had no idea what situation you were in. I feel so bad about this now."

Nori: "Why!? Why did this have to be the truth!?"

Akina: "But you always seemed so calm and collected! You always seemed to have control of your emotions! Are you seriously telling me this stoic woman I thought I knew murdered because they couldn't repress their own emotions!? Dammnit, I respected you because I thought you were different from the rest of the women! But you're no different than the rest of the sissy bitches on this planet! Why did you have to be like this!?"

Nori: "Would you honestly just shut the fuck up Akina!? This is a serious situation! Nobody cares about what you have to say!"

Akina: "Okay! I didn't know I was that bothersome! Geez!"

Chimon: "For someone who claims to be able to not be emotional like other girls, you seemed pretty close to crying when you were yelling at Marika."

Akina: "Shut up! I'll punch you in the stomach!"

Marika: "Akina's right though in a way. I committed murder because I was too weak to handle my own emotions. Even when I came across as totally unemotional and stoic on the outside; on the inside I was a complete train wreck of feelings. Every single day on this killing school trip, I was trying to hide and repress my own emotions! I tried my best to pretend I could handle my own emotions and that I could stay calm even in the biggest of danger! In reality, I was completely and utterly terrified. Probably even more terrified than most of you here. I was hiding my emotions because I was not only trying to lie to others about how I felt, but also to lie to myself about my own feelings! No matter how much I say otherwise, I'm just an emotional coward!"

Yemon: "Honestly Marika, I don't think that's true. No matter how you really felt, the fact that you were able to repress your emotions in the first place shows how tough you really are. Not many people can easily hide their feelings like that. So, don't be too hard on yourself."

Marika: "Stop it. I don't deserve nor want your sympathy! I'm just a horrible murderer!"

The more Marika talked, the less she could resist her crying. Eventually, it turned to flat out bawling.

Fudoki: "Okay, so we get your reasons for killing, but why did you kill Kando in particular!? He did absolutely nothing wrong! How can you do something so horrible to a guy like him!? If it was anyone else, I would at least have the tiniest bit of respect for an awful killer like you!"

Renjiro: "Stop Fudoki! Don't be a self-righteous asshole! You should have at least some sympathy for her!"

Honestly, I'm surprised Renjiro is forgiving her so easily, considering how strongly he feels about murder.

Sashi: "Calm down Renjiro. Let's hear Marika's reasoning before we go judging people."

Marika: "It is true that I chose to kill Kando. However, he was not my initial target."

Gyo Shin: "Who were you originally trying to kill?"

Marika: "When Yemon made the announcement for the party, my first thought was that all my plans for murder were ruined. It was a shame, but there was nothing I could do, as I couldn't abandon the party, as that would draw suspicion. However, when I realized that Fudoki didn't come to the gym, my first thought was that I should kill him. But since he was the only one gone, I figured it would be hard to kill him without drawing any suspicion. However, when I realized that Kando had left during nighttime, I came up with a plan. I would first prepare the tools ahead of time while everyone was asleep. Then during the morning, I would pretend to search for Kando with a few others, then kill Fudoki, and then hopefully return to the gym with Kando and the others. However, my plan didn't go as I originally attended. One thing I couldn't possibly predict was that Fudoki's plan to have a chess game with Kando that morning. I assume he was either already waiting in Kando's lab or was just wandering around, as when I rang his doorbell to try to get inside and kill him, he wasn't there. However, I wasn't ready to give up on my plan, as I already had the tools ready. That's when I decided to change my target to Kando Yamamoto. All I needed to do was move my two sided-weapon to the planter box outside Kando's window instead, and my plan would not be interfered in any way."

Fudoki: "Whoa now! I know I said I would respect you if you chose anyone other than Kando, but why me!? Why did you try to kill me!?"

Marika: "If it were between you and Kando, of course I would murder a selfish brat like you. Not that I would want to kill you. I would rather kill someone like Doryo, but considering the circumstances, that would not be possible. Think about it, you technically caused this murder yourself by not coming to the party. While I recognize that I am the most responsible, you still should have thought about how your actions could harm others before doing so."

Fudoki: "Selfish, brat!?"

Doryo: "You say you would rather kill me? Bitch don't even try me. I would easily murder a bitch ass woman like you first!"

Marika: "You are easily the most despicable person I have ever met. You belong in a prison cell rather than a school."

Sashi: "What happened after you rang Kando's bell? Surely he must have realized your intent before you murdered him."

Marika: "He certainly realized my intent. I'll tell you the entire conversation word for word."

FLASHBACK

Kando: "Why hello Marika. It's pleasant seeing you here. Were you perhaps looking for me after I left the gym?"

Marika: "Yes, we were all worried. Why did you leave the gym without telling us?"

Kando: "I'm sorry for worrying you. I couldn't sleep because I was too worried about Fudoki, so I left the gym to go check up on him. I was planning to go back to the gym right afterward, but Fudoki wanted to play chess with me, and I didn't want to refuse such an offer, so we played till around midnight. At that point, I was too tired to even walk back to the gym, so I went to my dorm instead, as it was closer and there was an actual bed there. My deepest apologizes."

Marika: "It's no problem. Hey Kando, you mind if I come into your room for a second? I want to chat with you for a bit."

Kando: "Of course I don't mind. Feel free to stay as long as you like."

I then went into Kando's room. Without hesitation, the first thing I did was take out the hammer I had hidden in my clothes and smashed Kando's window with it. To say he was shocked is an understatement.

Kando: "Why on earth did you do that!? You wrecked my window!!!"

Marika: "I'm so sorry Kando, but this is the only way I can finally I end my fear."

Kando: "Fear!? What are you talking about!? Wait, don't tell me! Are you planning on killing me so you can stop being afraid of the death of your family members!?"

Marika: "You figured it out it seems. But there's nothing you can do about it. I'm so sorry, but I have to do this. It's the only way I can save him."

Kando: "Marika! I'm begging you! Don't do this!"

Marika: "But I can't let the possibility of my father dying come to light! That's why I must do this! It's for him, not me!"

Kando: "But Marika! You don't know whether the motive is true or not! Acting like this is exactly what Monokuma wants! There's only one hour until the motive runs out! You can resist your temptation until then, right!? Please Marika! It's not just my life, but everyone might die if you go through with this! Do you really want to kill fifteen of your classmates just to stop the possibility of your father maybe dying!?"

Marika: "I don't care what happens to me! Monokuma can execute me for all I care! All I want is to protect my father! It's either you or him! Even if it's just a possibility, I can't let it happen! He's the only family I got!"

Even though I was planning on Kando, I was still terrified about actually going through with it. I hated the idea of me murdering him, even if I knew I was going to do it anyways. I couldn't resist my tears and shouts while I was talking with him.

Kando: "Marika, please! Think about it! Would your father want this!? Would he want his daughter killing someone to save a person that is likely already middle-aged!? You're his daughter and still young, so you can't risk your life in order to save a person who is already over-halfway done with his lifespan! If he's your only family member, that's all the more reason to try to survive! To carry out the family tree! If you die, then your entire family is gone! You don't want that, do you!?"

Marika: "How can you say that? You can't possibly know what he is thinking, so don't even try! If he wants me to survive, then I'll kill you and try to graduate at the costs of everyone's lives! Then we can both survive! Is that what you want, huh!?"

Kando: "No! I don't want that either! Just don't kill anyone!"

I eventually got so angry at Kando that I pushed him out his window without a second thought. However, I don't think I was angry because he was saying what my father would think without even knowing him. I was angry because Kando was probably right. My father probably would have gotten angry at me for making such an attempt. But I was already planning to kill Kando, so I didn't want to go back. His remark just added more fuel to the fire. However, despite my anger, as soon as I murdered him, I burst into tears, and it took everything in me to keep my composure and carry on with the plan.

FLASHBACK END

Emnei: "So you got angry because you were starting to feel regret. Were you perhaps, angry at yourself?"

Marika: "That's probably it. I was angry at myself for even trying to attempt such a thing in the first place. In that way, I truly regret killing Kando. And by that, I mean that I didn't just dislike killing him, I disliked me even making a move in the first place. Because that's not what my father would have wanted. However, even after I killed Kando, I still couldn't give up. I was still too cowardly and weak to admit to my crime. So I tried to hide it and frame two other people for the murder. Which resulted in everyone almost being executed on several occasions. I should have just admitted it at the start, as that is the only way I could redeem myself after killing Kando. But even after that, I still didn't want to die, so I tried to hide my crime. I am so sorry everyone for being such an awful person."

Nori: "Honestly Marika, I can't really blame you too much. While you did end up murdering Kando, it's still not easy to admit to your crime when it results in your immediate execution. You just wanted to survive, so you could reunite with your father outside. Besides, it's not like you actually caused our executions. We still found you out, so you still got the ending you wanted."

Yemon: "We forgive you Marika, so don't be so hard on yourself."

Chimon: "Wait, are you people serious? She tried to have you all executed, why are you all forgiving her so easily? You should all be angry at her for making such a move. I know I am."

Sashi: "Chimon, please just stop. We're having a moment here and you're ruining it."

Emnei: "At least she apologized for it and regrets what she did. You can't blame her for that."

Chimon: "Oh hey look, I just killed a innocent person and tried to have fourteen other people killed as well. Whoops, my bad. Please forgive me for being such a horrible human being even though I already knew killing for my father was wrong. Please give me sympathy so I can tell myself that I did nothing wrong."

Marika: "You are also the most despicable person I have ever met."

Chimon: "Good."

Does Chimon actually like it when people hate him? Or is it an act? Or does he just like being an asshole?

Monokuma: "Well it seems Marika has finished her motive rant, so you know what time it is now!"

Monopup: "Eh what time is it boss? My watch is broken so I kinda lost track of what the time is."

Gyo Shin: "Oh! It's 7:20 PM!"

Monopup: "Why thank you student."

Monokuma: "That's not what I meant idiot! I meant it's time for the execution!"

Monopup: "Oh, that. You could have just said so boss."

Monokuma: "I was trying to build up suspense dammit."

Sashi: "Wait, does that mean it's time for Marika to be executed!?"

Monokuma: "You bet your biscuits it is! Wait, dogs eat biscuits, not bears. And I don't want to have a phrase that should be associated with Monopup! So, what do bears like? Oh, I got it. You bet your salmon it is!"

Marika: "I think this is the best possible outcome for me. I betrayed you all and murdered Kando for nothing. I deserve this execution."

Chiyo: "Wait, no Marika! We forgive you! We don't want you to die!"

Monokuma: "Now then, I have prepared a very special punishment for the Ultimate Architect."

Marika: "Listen everyone! You have to move on from this! Don't ever let anything like this happen again! No matter what Monokuma has up his sleeves, you can't do what he wants! Try to escape this shitty place with everyone else!"

Sashi: "Okay Marika, we promise!"

Nori: "I don't want you to die Marika! Please don't leave us!"

Marika: "Don't worry about me. I don't care if I get executed if means everyone else can survive. So please, survive."

Monokuma: "Let's give it everything we've got! IT'S PUNISHMENT TIME!!!"

Suddenly on the screen was what looked to be a 16-bit graphic video of Monokuma dragging Marika away. On the screen were the words "GAME OVER" and "Marika has been found guilty. Time for the punishment!"

Right behind the Marika's stand, a door in the wall opened up and out came a long chain. The chain had a neck brace that wrapped itself around Marika's neck before snapping and pulling her into the doorway. The door then shut behind her. Right on the screen were camera footage of what is happening to Marika outside that door. She continued to be pulled away on a chain in a hallway until she reached an extremely tall room that was completely separate from the courtroom. She was then freed from the neck brace right in the middle of the room, causing her to fall on the ground. Suddenly, the ground above her started shaking, which caused Marika to tremble a bit as she tried to stand herself up. Then a huge skyscraper started to lift itself from the ground, pulling Marika up with it. It rose and rose until it nearly reached the celling in the room, possibly reaching around 250 feet in height. On the front of the skyscraper was Monokuma's face. While Marika was clearly scared and shocked by the building's appearance, she stayed still until she reached the top. However, that was not the end of it. On one end of the room was a massive garage door, which opened up and out came a giant crane with a wrecking ball attached.

SUPER MONOKUMA TOWER DEMOLITION

The crane drove over the tower and swung its massive wrecking ball at the side of the tower, causing a part of it to fall apart and collapse. However, even with all the commotion, Marika still managed to stay up on top. The roof was still not completely demolished, allowing Marika to have some footing. On one side of the roof was a ladder than seemingly lead down the tower to the bottom. Marika quickly tried to head down the ladder as the building slowly started to fall apart. Marika was able to head to the bottom of the ladder. However, that was still not the end. As on the bottom were several flights of stairs that she had to climb down to reach the ground. Still determined, she tried to race down the stairs as fast as she could. Unfortunately, the crane smashed the building on another side, causing it to fall apart at an even faster rate. The stairs Marika stood on started to shake and break apart. Marika still managed to get down a few flights of stairs without injury. However, on one flight of stairs, two steps suddenly split apart, causing her to fall headfirst on the steps and start rolling down the stairs, causing her entire body to bruise. As she tried to head down the last few series of stairs, the ground suddenly fell beneath her, causing her to fall and hit the stairs below. This once again, made her roll down the stairs until she finally reached the ground. Even though her entire body was covered in bruises, bloody injuries, and likely a few broken bones, she was still alive. At last, she saw an exit and tried to limp her way over to it. As she headed towards the exit, the crane hit the tower one more time, which caused the entire tower to fall down to the ground. Marika tried to run out of the way, but her broken leg made her trip, causing her to hit the ground. The tower then collapsed on top of her before she could even let out a final scream. At this point, she was undoubtedly dead. We all watched the screen in horror, terrified of what we just witnessed.

Monokuma: "Ahahaha! What a thrilling execution! Doesn't it just fill you with despair!"

We were too shocked to say anything. We all stood there in silence and horror over the brutal execution we just witnessed.

Monokuma: "Well since the execution is over, you all can head back to your dorms or whatever. I'll be heading out now, so goodbye."

Monokuma and Monopup then left the scene, which was soon followed by Doryo leaving the scene. However, the rest of us were too scared to even move an inch.

Nori: "Why did this happen?"

Chiyo: "Why do we have to keep playing this killing game!? It's absolute torture!!!"

Yemon: "This is simply too awful for words. Only the worst of humankind could ever come up with something so evil."

We were all either crying or too shocked to speak. However, there was one person who seemed completely calm even after Marika's execution.

Chimon: "I don't understand why you people are so upset about Marika's death. She killed someone and tried to have the rest of us executed. Honestly, she deserved to die. Her execution was completely justified."

Renjiro: "THAT'S ENOUGH, YOU FUCKER!!!!"

Renjiro soon lunged at Chimon as fast as the speed of light. Before we can even stop Renjiro, he suddenly punched Chimon so hard in the stomach that he collapsed to the ground. He started to groan in pain while Renjiro stared at him in anger.

Yemon: "Violence solves nothing Renjiro! Besides, you're a bodybuilder! You can severely hurt him with even just a slight punch!"

Renjiro: "I don't understand why you are so upset. After all, he deserved it."

Yemon: "See, that's Chimon's mentality right now! If you hate him so much, why are you following his mindset!?!"

Renjiro: "I was trying to make a point."

Even though Chimon caused it himself, I was still worried about him. It look like that punch hurt a lot.

Sashi: "Are you okay Chimon? You seem like you are in a lot of pain."

Chimon: "It's fine. I'll just head to my dorm now."

Soon after, everyone began to head back to their dorms. However, one person still hadn't moved or said a word. That person was Fudoki.

Sashi: "Fudoki, are you actually upset about Marika's death?"

Fudoki: "Why would I upset about her death!? She was planning to kill me but instead killed my best friend and framed me for the crime!"

Sashi: "You can't lie to me Fudoki. I know you secretly feel bad for her. Perhaps, do you feel responsible for her death?"

Fudoki: "Of course not! She caused Kando's death herself! Maybe actually."

Sashi: "Fudoki, please don't blame this on yourself. This is not your fault nor Marika's. This is the killing game's fault. Even if you didn't attend the party, I believe you didn't predict that someone would die as a result."

Fudoki: "But everyone has been calling me out on it. I feel like I did something truly awful. Especially how Marika tried to kill me because I was a 'selfish brat'."

Sashi: "If you truly feel sorry about it, you should apologize to everyone tomorrow. That sound good?"

Fudoki: "I'll think about it. I think I'll head to my dorm room for now then. Goodnight."

Sashi: "Goodnight."

Even though he still has trouble making eye contact with me, he at least said goodnight, which is probably the politest thing I have ever heard from him. I feel like Fudoki is slowly starting to change little by little. I continued to think about it as I headed back to my dorm room.

CHAPTER 1 END

Sashi Asuka: Alive

Yemon Otsuka: Alive

Fudoki Sasaki: Alive

Akina Kuroda: Alive

Chimon Taniguchi: Alive

Marika Nagao: Dead

Tetsu Yanagi: Alive

Gyo Shin Morikawa: Alive

Doryo Ishii: Alive

Kando Yamamoto: Dead

Chiyo Gima: Alive

Renora Shinsato: Alive

Emnei Takada: Alive

Nori Ozaki: Alive

Renjiro Hara: Alive

Naeko Ennosuke: Alive

Surving Students: 14


	3. The Past May Haunt the Future

Danganronpa: The Truth of Fiction by Loginator   
Danganronpa: The Truth of Fiction

Danganronpa: The Truth of Fiction Chapter 2 Daily Life

Published (16939 Words) 

Danganronpa: The Truth of Fiction Chapter 2 Daily Life  
PRELUDE:

BREAKING NEWS: THE GOFER PROJECT IS NOW LAUNCHING PEOPLE INTO SPACE

Reporter: "The Gofer Project has finally finished and is now ready to launch its spaceship! On this spaceship are 150 people gathered from all over the world. These people were chosen because they are all very young adults, meaning they could reproduce a lot easily. More importantly, they happen to be immune to the virus caused by the meteorites crashing into the earth. Wherever these young adults are sent to, it better be a planet just as suitable for living as Earth. There, they can reform humanity all over again. Unfortunately, us who have to stay here, will eventually die in no more than six months, as predicted by scientists. In six months, the Earth will inevitably be completely destroyed, making it no longer a suitable habitat for life. So we just got to cheer for the people who get to escape this ruined planet, even if we can't see if they will succeed or not. With that, WNN, otherwise known as the Worldwide News Network, is out!"

PRELUDE END

After I returned to my dorm room, an announcement soon came from the monitor.

Monokuma: "Attention, everyone. It is now 10:00 P.M. As such, it is officially nighttime. Remember that you cannot go to the gym nor the dining hall at night. Murders also cannot be committed during this time, so please wait until the next morning to start killing. Now then, goodnight everyone."

After nighttime started, I quickly drifted to sleep. However, soon after, I was woken up by nightmares of both Kando's and Marika's brutal deaths. When I tried to go back to sleep, I just couldn't. So, I just stayed awake until the morning announcement came.

Monokuma: "Good morning everyone. If you heard this announcement, that means that is 7:00 A.M and nighttime is officially over. The dining hall and gym will now be open, and you're free to kill as much as you want. Get ready for another beautiful day in your killing school semester."

Finally. I just want to talk with all my friends at the cafeteria like always after the horrible events that happened last night. After I got ready, I soon headed out, where Emnei was waiting.

Sashi: "I'm surprised you managed to get out of your room this morning, considering what happened last night. Earlier, you would stay in your room when nothing has even happened yet."

Emnei: "Yeah. Honestly, though, I feel even worse than every previous day combined. But I still came out of my room this time because I'm ashamed of myself for being so weak. So, I decided to come out instead of hiding in my room like a coward. Because I want to change."

Even as Emnei said he wanted to change, I could still see tears streaming out of his eyes, which he tried to wipe away. But they wouldn't stop coming out no matter how he tried.

Sashi: "Why do you want to change so much Emnei? There's nothing wrong with being emotional. In fact, I was pretty emotional last night as well. I only slept like two hours in total."

Emnei: "Because this game, is a test of survival. Those that are weak, don't survive. Plus, if I get stronger, I hope Doryo will finally stop bullying and harassing me."

Sashi: "It's good you're thinking like that. It's also good that you want to change. But when it comes to people like Doryo, here's my advice. If ignoring them doesn't work, then you should stand up for yourself. Call them out for being assholes. Often times, when it comes to bullies, they tend to pick on people who they think are weak and won't fight back. As soon as you call them out, they will stop harassing you because they can't take it. They can dish out shit but can't take it back. At least, that's what I think."

Emnei: "I don't know if I can do that though. Doryo's really intimating, so I don't know if I'll be able to stand up to him anytime soon."

Sashi: "Well it's just a suggestion. You don't have to follow it if you don't want to."

Emnei: "No. I likely will take on your advice someday. Just not today."

Sashi: "Alright then. You want to head to the dining hall now?"

Emnei: "Sure."

Me and Emnei soon walked inside the cafeteria. Most of the students were already inside. The only exceptions were Chimon, Tetsu, Fudoki, and Chiyo. Tetsu and Chimon aren't really much of a surprise, but why aren't Chiyo and Fudoki here? They were here every other time.

Renora: "Hey Sashi and Emnei. Good morning."

Sashi: "Good morning everyone."

Emnei: "Where's Chiyo and Fudoki? I would expect them to be here."

Yemon: "I'm not sure. I never saw them today."

Nori: "Maybe we should just wait a little longer. They'll likely show up soon."

Sashi: "If not, we can just send someone to check on them."

As such, we started eating while we waited for someone else to show up. During this time, we were all silent. The mood was very heavy. Not much a surprise, considering we lost two friends yesterday. We were all too distraught to discuss anything.

Yemon: "Hey everyone, what's with the downer mood?"

Akina: "I don't know. Maybe because two people died yesterday!"

Yemon: "I know that. Trust me, I'm sad as well. But we can't let that get to us! Remember what Marika said? She wanted us to live on and escape with everyone else! If we stay depressed like this, we're not respecting her wishes!"

Gyo Shin: "But what can we do? No matter what we say, the killing game will continue. Even if we try to resist our urges to kill, Monokuma will just give another motive to get one of us to murder. No matter what we do, the killing game will never end."

Nori: "What the hell has gotten into you Gyo Shin!? You weren't like this in the beginning!"

Gyo Shin: "That's because no murders happened in the time. If murders are bound to happen, what's the point of being happy!? There's nothing to be happy about in this situation! No matter what we say, we can't escape our inevitable deaths!"

Sashi: "Calm down Gyo Shin! I'm sure it won't be as bad as you think! If you keep thinking like that, then murders are bound to happen!"

Emnei: "What happened to Mrs. Funny Pants yesterday? Even during the murder trial, where everyone's lives were at stake, you were always cracking little jokes! Why are you suddenly so pessimistic!?"

Gyo Shin: "I crack jokes because I'm unhappy! In reality, I just want to get out of this shitty situation! I can't take it! It's so awful!"

Suddenly, we saw a side of Gyo Shin that we didn't know before. She pretends to be cheerful because in reality, she's the most scared out of all of us. She's a stepford smiler.

Renora: "Hey! Calm down Gyo Shin! Don't act so depressed, because it makes us depressed as well! Hey, I've got an idea. Let's all crack jokes to make her feel better."

Renjiro: "Oh, I've got one. There was a flock of vultures that all began eating a dead clown. And one said to the other: 'Does this taste funny to you?'"

Gyo Shin soon gave a smile and a slight chuckle. It seems like her mood was coming back to normal.

Emnei: "I've got a joke as well! Why are vampires so hated? Because they're a pain in the neck. I'm sorry. That wasn't very funny. But I'm not very funny, so all I can tell are crappy puns."

But despite Emnei's joke being not very good, Gyo Shin smiled anyways.

Gyo Shin: "Alright. Here's a joke for you all. Why can't orphans play baseball?"

Sashi: "Why?"

Gyo Shin: "Because they don't know where home is."

Renora: "I think you need to learn to tell some more appropriate jokes, but whatever. Offensive jokes seem to be your specialty after all."

The previously heavy mood soon became happy and cheerful once again. We all began to chat leisurely while we waited for someone else to show up. Eventually, a person came, and they were Fudoki.

Yemon: "Oh there you are Fudoki. What took you so long?"

Suddenly, Fudoki dropped to his knees and bowed his head with his hands held against each other. It was as if he was worshipping a sacred ruler.

Fudoki: "I am so sorry everyone."

Emnei: "What are you sorry for exactly?"

Nori: "Why are you bowing to us? We're not your god."

Fudoki: "I just don't know how else to apologize for being a selfish brat."

Sashi: "Fudoki, are you talking about the party last night? So you did decide to apologize after all."

Fudoki: "I deeply apologize for not coming to the party last night. I didn't come because I hate parties, for a number of different reasons. One, I hate loud noises and can't handle them. Two, I was nervous, because I never been to one before. I was worried about how to socialize with everyone in such a social and extroverted event. So, I decided not to come. Because of that, I indirectly caused both the deaths of Kando, and Marika. I should have thought about the consequences more. If I wasn't so selfish, I could have prevented the murder from even happening."

Akina: "Oh, that's what you were talking about. Dude, we were already over like 20 hours ago."

Yemon: "We literally don't care anymore. We all know that you probably didn't mean to cause any murders. It's not like you were directly involved."

Fudoki: "Wait, so nobody's mad at me?"

Sashi: "Not really."

Fudoki: "But I spent all night gathering the courage to apologize. I did all that preparation because I thought everyone hated me for being so selfish."

Renjiro: "Look, Fudoki. Everyone makes mistakes. You happened to make a mistake, and you feel bad about it. The important thing is that you move on from your past mistakes and learn not to make more ones in the future. Even I'm over what you did, and I threatened to beat you up."

Fudoki: "Oh. So, I basically apologized for nothing!?"

Sashi: "No Fudoki. The fact that you apologized mean you felt really bad about it. And that's a good thing. It's better to apologize than to say nothing, even if we are already over it."

Fudoki: "Then I guess it was a good thing I apologized. You know what! From now on, I'm going to learn from my past mistakes and never let anything like this happen again! No matter what, I've going to socialize with all of you and participate in anything you guys plan! I can't let another murder happen!"

Nori: "That's wonderful Fudoki. We're all welcome to have you."

While we all praised Fudoki, Monopup suddenly appeared to give us some news.

Monopup: "Hello all my fellow students."

Yemon: "Damn it. Why you always got to interrupt our wonderful conversations?"

Monopup: "Hey! Don't talk to your instructor like that! I just came here to tell you that some new areas have been opened up in this school! The gates below and above the gym have been opened up, and you can now search the school some more. Here's some info. Every time a murder trial is finished, more of the school is unlocked. That's all I wanted to tell you, so goodbye."

Sashi: "I guess we should start exploring the school again. We might find some new clues."

Emnei: "But what about Chiyo? I'm still worried that she didn't show up today."

Nori: "I'll go check on her. You all should start searching the school in the meantime."

I guess we should just leave Chiyo to Nori. I hope she's alright.

Sashi: "You want to explore with me Emnei?"

Emnei: "Sure."

Me and Emnei soon headed out of the cafeteria and walked towards the gym. We headed upwards and sure enough, the gate was open. However, right behind the gate was a giant wall that surrounded the school's perimeter.

Sashi: "Looks like this is the school wall. Must be the farthest upward we can go."

Emnei: "All that's behind this gate is a single building behind the gym on the right."

As we walked towards the building, we saw a sign above. It said this was the "Ultimate Chemical Scientist Lab."

Sashi: "This is Naeko's lab. Let's head in."

We entered the Ultimate Chemical Scientist Lab. Inside was all kinds of chemical equipment, chemical textbooks, and chemicals in general. There were several tables in the middle where chemical equipment was placed in the drawers. On the side were shelfs filled with different chemicals and compounds. There was also a periodic table poster on the wall. Another shelf was filled with books on the study of chemistry. Inside the lab was Naeko, who was exciting looking at all the equipment.

Naeko: "Look at all this equipment! I can now finally conduct mad scientist experiments! I can finally put my plans into action!"

Sashi: "You sound really excited about this Naeko."

Naeko: "Why wouldn't I be!? This is a mad scientist's dream lab!"

Emnei: "Well feel free to work on your crazy experiments in here. Everything you need has been supplied here."

Naeko: "AHAHAHAHA!!! That I will!"

Sashi: "Dear lord! Emnei, come look at this!"

Emnei: "What is it!?"

I pointed at the chemical shelf. Inside were tons of deadly poisons and gases. There was no doubt about it. These were placed here to make us kill people.

Emnei: "This is dangerous! For such deadly weapons to be out in the open! Anyone can take this poisons and murder someone with them!"

Sashi: "Maybe we should gather up all the poisons and dumb them in the trash?"

Naeko: "That will not be necessary."

Emnei: "Huh? Why Naeko?"

Naeko: "Think about it. Even if we decided to remove all dangerous chemicals from my lab, the mastermind would likely just resupply them."

Monopup: "Yep. We have a huge supply, so removing them will do nothing!"

Sashi: "AHH! Were you eavesdropping?"

Monopup: "Well I am your instructor, so it's necessary to listen and answer your questions."

Naeko: "No one asked for your answer mortal! Now begone from our sight!"

Monopup: "Why am I always so hated?"

Monopup then left the scene, leaving us by ourselves once again.

Emnei: "Alright so we now know that removing the chemicals is completely pointless. In that case, what should we do?"

Naeko: "Don't worry. I will keep watch in my lab, making sure no one dares to steal anything. Most of my time will likely been in here, so I'll easily be able to keep watch. If anyone plans to murder someone with poison, it would be by the Evil Mad Scientist! AHAHAHA!!!"

Sashi: "Whatever you say."

Emnei: "Thanks for trying to help, Naeko."

Naeko: "No problem."

Sashi: "Alright Naeko. I think we are ready to leave now. Feel free to work on your experiments in the meantime."

Emnei: "Bye."

Naeko: "Farewell."

As such, we headed out of Naeko's lab and walked back towards the gym. Right down below the gym was another open gate. Outside were tons of new buildings. However, there were still a few gates that surrounded the new area. Right below the gym were two new buildings.

Sashi: "Let's check these buildings out."

One building was massive, almost the size of the gym. On the sign was the word "Pool."

Sashi: "A pool? Awesome!"

Emnei: "I don't really swim much but alright."

Inside the building's doors was a massive pool. On each side of the pool were tons of bleachers to sit on. On the wall was a big scoreboard for swimmer competitions, I guess. There was also a storeroom filled with nets, volleyball, and long ropes for separating lanes. There was also a giant diving board in the middle of the pool.

Sashi: "Well it seems like there's nobody here, so I guess we should continue exploring."

Emnei: "At least we know the pool is here if we ever want to swim."

Emnei and I decided to head out of the pool and check out the building next door. On the building was yet another sign. This time, it was the Ultimate Figure Skater Lab.

Sashi: "Renora's lab. This could be interesting."

Inside was a giant ice rink. Just like the pool, there were bleachers on each side to watch competitions. On the front row of the building was a shelf filled with ice skates of different sizes. Right on the ice rink was Renora, who was gracefully skating on the ice.

Sashi: "Hello Renora."

Renora: "Greetings."

Emnei: "You seem kind of busy."

Renora: "Busy? No, I'm just practicing."

Sashi: "I'm surprised you are able to have that much balance on that ice rink. It looks really slippery."

Renora: "That's years of practice for ya."

Emnei: "Whoa! Ahh!"

Emnei soon stepped on the ice and slipped, instantly hitting his face on the ground. Instantly, Renora started hysterically laughing. She had to stop skating around the ice in order to control her laughter.

Emnei: "What? Is my pain and suffering funny to you? That's not very nice."

Renora: "That's what you get for trying to step on the ice with those kinds of shoes. You fall. Heehee!"

Emnei soon tried to get himself up but soon started to lose his balance again. He then fell on the ice yet again, this time on his back.

Renora: "What's wrong Emnei? Is the ice too much for you? Hahaha!"

Emnei: "Uh. I think I need a little help."

I offered Emnei my hand and he gripped it. I started to push Emnei back up on his feet and pulled him away from the ice.

Emnei: "Well I'm never going to do that again."

Renora: "Aww. You don't want to practice ice skating with me?"

Emnei: "Hell no! It sounds painful and humiliating!"

Renora: "Well if you ever change your mind, just ask. I'll try not to laugh at you when you inevitably fall flat on your face over and over again."

Sashi: "Well I think we will be leaving now, thank you very much. We still have more to explore around the school."

Renora: "Well goodbye Sashi and Ice Slipper. See you later."

Emnei: "Ice Slipper!? Is that my nickname now!?"

Sashi: "Come on Emnei. Let's go."

I led Emnei out of Renora's lab while his features were bright red in embarrassment. We then headed to another building nearby. It read that this was the "Ultimate Manga Writer Lab."

Sashi: "Look Emnei! It's your lab!"

Emnei: "Oh my god! This is amazing!"

Emnei soon headed inside in excitement while I followed him. Inside was several drawing notebooks and a blackboard for posting ideas. In the middle of the lab was a computer for typing stories I presume. There were also several bookshelves filled with different manga to read.

Emnei: "I think this is the happiest I have been since I got here! Now I have something to do other than weep in my bed or talk to you!"

Sashi: "Well isn't that just wonderful."

Emnei: "I can finally start working on the latest entry to my Robo Justice series! I'm on the third book right now!"

Sashi: "I'm happy for you Emnei. Hopefully spending time in here will take your mind off the killing game."

Emnei: "I kind want to stay in here and start working on my project right now, but I know we still have more places to explore, so I'll come back here later."

Sashi: "I guess we should go now."

While somewhat disappointed, Emnei left his lab with me. I looked around the new area once again and saw that there was only one new building left. It looked very tall and wide. However, there was no sign on the front like the previous buildings we entered.

Sashi: "I wonder what's inside. It's unusual how there's no label saying what kind of building this is."

I headed inside and saw a big hallway that split into two different rooms. One on the left, and one on the right. The left doors lead to a library, while the right doors led to a warehouse.

Sashi: "Why are these rooms part of one building? Almost all the other buildings had one room inside and were separated outside rather than by a hallway. Why is it different here? I would expect the library and warehouse to be their own buildings."

Emnei: "There's no use thinking about stuff like that. Considering we are in a killing game, almost nothing is illogical or out of the picture. You just can't see logic in the mastermind's thought process."

Sashi: "I guess you're right. I want to see what's in the warehouse first. Because that doesn't seem like a typical building you would see in a school."

I entered the warehouse only to find tons of tall shelfs filled with all kinds of supplies. There were foods, drinks, tools, ropes, hooks, batteries, lights. Anything you could possibly need was supplied here. Even stuff that doesn't seem very necessary like gasoline and paint. Right on the back of the warehouse was a door that seemed to lead to yet another room.

Emnei: "Look at all this stuff."

Sashi: "Why is this stuff in a school in a first place? Was this really here to start with or did the mastermind construct this? Because there's no way a warehouse would be part of any normal school."

Emnei: "It's hard to answer those kinds of questions. One thing is for sure. The mastermind wants us to be able to access these things at any time. Probably because somebody might use them in a murder plan."

Sashi: "I guess we just have to keep a close eye on this place and make sure nobody takes anything dangerous."

Emnei: "What's that room in the back?"

Sashi: "I don't know. Maybe we should look inside."

In order to answer our questions, we both headed to the back room. Inside was a bunch of boxes lined up and stacked on top of each other on the ground. There was also a utility closet filled with cleaning equipment such as soap, mops, and dusters.

Sashi: "I guess these boxes contain supplies that haven't been stored in the warehouse yet."

Emnei then began opening the boxes and seeing what's inside.

Emnei: "Yep. These are all copies of things that were already inside the warehouse. I guess that means this is a storeroom of sorts."

Sashi: "Huh? That's unusual."

Emnei: "Did you find something?"

Sashi: "For some reason the door that leads back into the warehouse has a lock on it. See?"

I pushed the button on the doorknob and the door suddenly locked and wouldn't budge.

Emnei: "Why is it necessary to have a lock in the storeroom? It's not like there's anything private in here. I swear everything that is inside this school is completely unnatural."

Sashi: "Must be another one of Monokuma's plans."

Emnei: "There's no other explanation than that."

Sashi: "I think we're done here. Let's check out the library and then we're finished exploring."

I headed out of the storeroom and warehouse while Emnei followed. I then entered the library, where tons of bookshelves stood all over the place. In the library were books of tons of different genres and authors. There were also laptops in the middle that served as library catalogs. There was also a stepladder that was used to access books on the higher shelves.

Sashi: "Well this is one grand library. They have everything here."

Emnei: "How about we search the shelves to see what kind of books they have? We mind be able to get some information about this academy."

Sashi: "Good thinking Emnei!"

I soon started searching the library from head to toe, looking for anything that could inform us about our situation. Unfortunately, nothing I found was related to the academy here or led to any clues about who could be behind this. However, there was one book that caught my eye. The book was absolutely massive, reaching well over a thousand pages. On the front cover was the name "The Complete History of Earth in a Nutshell."

Sashi: "Earth?"

Emnei: "What the hell are you talking about Sashi?"

Sashi: "Look at this book. Do you have any idea what Earth means?"

Emnei: "No. That's weird though. Maybe if we skim through the book, we can find out what Earth is."

I looked through the first few pages and saw some interesting information.

Sashi: "According to this book, Earth was a planet that happened to have just the right temperature, atmosphere, and amount of water to support life."

Emnei: "Wait, so there actually is another planet that supports life other than Cozeliea?"

Sashi: "Apparently. It's unusual that I never heard about a thing like that before. You think that would be worldwide news."

Emnei: "Who wrote this book? Check the back cover. The author is usually listed there."

I looked at the back cover and sure enough, information about the author was listed.

Sashi: "The author's name is Hailey Campbell. I never heard of them before. Which is weird, because once again, this should be extremely important information."

Emnei: "You think the government is trying to hide information about this planet called Earth?"

Sashi: "If so, why is a book containing info about this planet placed in a random school? This all seems fishy to me."

Emnei: "Where is the author from?"

Sashi: "It says that Hailey is from Great Britain? Is that supposed a country? I never heard of a country like that in Cozeliea, and there's only seven there."

Emnei: "It must be a country from whatever this Earth place is. Which means this is a writer that came from Earth? We definitely need to skim through this book. This might contain extremely valuable information."

Sashi: "Alright.......... Big Bang ............... Jurassic Era ......... Stone Age ............ Iron Age .......... Westward Expansion............. Industrial Revolution ............... Huh."

Emnei: "What is it?"

Sashi: "It looks like several pages were ripped out near the end of this book. Whoever put this book here, they clearly didn't want us knowing what happens near the end."

Emnei: "What time period was cut out? Like, what chapter?"

Sashi: "It cuts off right near where it says, 'Hope and Despair Era.'The timeline is apparently from 2078 to 2185 AD. Seems pretty short compared to the rest of the eras on Earth."

Emnei: "Wait, the year is 3047 AD! That's almost a thousand years from then!"

Sashi: "What's even more unusual is that this book was written in 2184 AD, which is one year before the end of the Hope and Despair Era ends. If so, why do they say the Hope and Despair Era ends by 2185 AD?"

Emnei: "It's like they could predict the future."

Sashi: "Well according to the table of continents, the Hope and Despair Era is the last chapter of this book. They can for some reason, predict when the era will end, but not what will happen afterwards."

Emnei: "I don't know if any of that relates to our current situation, but it's really interesting nonetheless."

Sashi: "We shouldn't tell anybody else about what we found out. It would just confuse everyone. Chances are, they are likely to find out anyways once they read the book. It's just sitting out in the library after all."

Emnei: "Sounds like a good plan."

Sashi: "We now searched everything there is to see. I guess we should go on our separate ways for now."

Emnei: "That sounds great. I can now work in my lab now. If you need me, I'll be in there."

Sashi: "Bye Emnei."

Emnei soon left the library and headed out the building. It looks like I'm by myself now. I guess I should head back to my room now. As such, I started to walk over to the dorms. However, right as I passed by the gym, I heard something right outside. It sounded like Renora, and she seemed to be yelling at someone.

Renora: "You know what, bitch!?! I've had enough of your BULLSHIT!!!"

I heard Renora scream extremely loudly. It was the loudest thing I have ever heard from her mouth. It was the first time I have seen her generally angry. What made her so upset? Curiously, I headed over to the source of the sound, which was at the back of the gym near Naeko's lab. However, what I saw was something I never expected. Renora was yelling at, Tetsu? How could of Tetsu have made her so angry? She has said no less than like five words since she has got here. Are you telling me Tetsu is the source of all this shouting?

Renora: "You know what I'm talking about you fucker!!! Always standing there, not saying a word! Don't tell me you forgot about the trial last night! Our lives were on the line, and yet you stayed completely SILENT!!! What's even worse is that you knew who the culprit is, yet you kept your goddamn mouth shut like the fucking pussy you are!!!"

Tetsu started to grasp her notepad and tremble in fear. She looked both terrified and incredibly heartbroken by Renora's harsh words. Instantly, I saw Renora for the person she really is. She seemed like such a nice and outgoing person, when in reality she is nothing like that. Her kindness is a façade to hide her true nature, which is that of a typical high school girl bully. One that pretends to be nice but treats people like trash as soon as they lower their guard.

Renora: "I think I had enough of your bullcrap!!! If we ever have another class trial, I'm not letting you risk my lives because you're too goddamn cowardly to SPEAK THE FUCK UP!!! Give me your fucking notepad, now!!!"

Tetsu shook her head in fear and tried to run away. However, Renora gave chase and grabbed Tetsu's shoulders with her hands, pulling her back so hard she fell on the floor. In a struggle, Tetsu desperately tried to hold onto her notebook while Renora tried to pull it away from her hands. Eventually, Renora managed to snap the notepad away from Tetsu's hands while Tetsu cried in horror.

Tetsu: "AHHHHH!!!"

Renora: "If you won't fucking talk even now, then I guess I'll have to fucking force you to my goddamn self!!!"

Renora soon took out a lighter out of her pocket and instantly flicked it on. She then started to hold the lighter under Tetsu's notebook. Instantly, I knew what Renora was up to. She was going to burn Tetsu's notebook to ashes. That was how she would force Tetsu to speak.

Tetsu: "AHHHHHHHH!!! NOOOO!!!"

Renora: "Oh now you speak, you fucking bitch! Looks like I really got to your nerves this time!"

I knew I had to do something to stop Renora from burning that notebook. So, I tried shouting at her.

Sashi: "You better stop this instant Renora! There's no way I'm letting you burn Tetsu's notebook!"

Renora: "Oh hey Sashi. Fancy seeing you here. But unfortunately, there's nothing you can do to help your poor friend. I'm burning this goddamn notepad no matter what! What are you going to do about? I hope you don't do something foolish like try to snatch the notepad away from my hands, because I assure that I am way, way, stronger than you. I can easily push a weak bitch like you to the ground!"

Without thinking, I lunged at Renora in an attempt to steal the notepad. But my efforts were futile. As soon as I reached her, Renora pushed me away so hard, my entire body fell onto the concrete below, hitting my head hard on the ground.

Renora: "What did I just tell you? It's useless to try to fight back against something that is athletically superior to you. Now, back to what I was doing."

Renora then held the lit lighter up to Tetsu's notepad. Instantly, it burst into flames while Tetsu and I watched in horror. Within less than a minute, the entire notepad had turned into ashes. Tetsu soon started bawling and eventually ran away from the gym in tears while Renora gave an devilish smirk at her.

Renora: "Looks like my plan succeeded. I knew that bitch was a total pussy."

Sashi: "What the fuck is wrong with you Renora!?! Why did you do that!?! You're a complete dipshit, you know that!"

Renora: "That's what she gets for being a bitch. It's her fault for deciding to stay silent. Also, you better not tell anyone else about this, you hear me. Or else I'll fight you. Goodbye, Sashi. I hope you have a good afternoon."

Renora soon left the scene. I instantly got up to my feet. I really hope Tetsu is alright. I want to go to her room in order to cheer her up, but I have a feeling that she wants to be left alone right now. I should probably wait until next morning to try to talk to her. For now, I headed back to my dorm room. However, I still have plenty of time to spend before nighttime starts. In that case, who should I talk to?

FREE TIME START

I think I should talk to Fudoki. Since he really wants to change and start socializing with everyone, I figured I should start socializing with him. He seems like a good guy at heart, even if he can, unintentionally or not, come across as rude sometimes. He's likely in his lab if I had to guess, so I walked over there. When I opened the lab door, sure enough Fudoki was there.

Sashi: "Hi Fudoki."

Fudoki: "Oh! Hello Sashi."

Sashi: "Hey Fudoki. I was wondering if maybe we can hang out; possibly do something together."

Fudoki: "What!?"

Sashi: "Did I say something wrong? If you don't want to hang out, that's perfectly fine."

Fudoki: "No. I want to hang out with you as well. I'm just surprised that you would ask that. Nobody has ever asked to spend time with me before."

Sashi: "Really? Well in any case, what do you want to do?"

Fudoki: "Oh! How about I show my musical skills by playing some instruments here? I'm sure you will love it."

Fudoki started playing band instruments to me while I praised his incredible musical ability.

Fudoki and I grew a little closer today.

Fudoki: "......"

Sashi: "......"

This can get awkward fast. I need to quickly bring up a topic in order to bring the conversation forward.

Sashi: "So, Fudoki. What kind of hobbies do you have?"

Fudoki: "Playing music obviously."

Sashi: "Fudoki. You're not even looking at me."

Fudoki: "Sorry. Bad habit."

Is something like that really that difficult to control?

Sashi: "Don't you have any other hobbies besides playing instruments?"

Fudoki: "I don't know. I haven't really done anything else. It's one of the few things in life that brings happiness in me."

Sashi: "Are you sure? You don't like playing video games? Or watching TV? Reading books? Don't tell me you haven't read at least one manga before."

Fudoki: "What? Am I supposed to have read manga?"

Sashi: "No. It's fine if you haven't. I was just trying to bring up conversation."

Fudoki: "Oh I get it. Because I'm a scrawny nerd, that must mean I obviously love manga and anime. Because all nerds like that kind of crap."

Sashi: "No, I didn't mean it like that!"

Fudoki: "Whatever. I get comments like that a lot. I'm used to it."

I still didn't mean it like that.

Sashi: "Does that upset you? That people make stereotypes about you because you look and act like a typical nerd?"

Fudoki: "I used to. But like I said, I've gotten used to comments like that. I've heard much worse insults thrown at me."

Sashi: "Really? Why?"

Fudoki: "Why do you think so!? Because I'm a complete loser, that's why."

Sashi: "That's not true! Don't be so hard on yourself! Having poor self-esteem is not healthy!"

Fudoki: "Don't even try to deny it. You're only hanging out with me just to make fun of me, aren't you? In realty you think I'm a total moron."

But I thought you wanted to hang out with me. You seemed so happy to play your music. Why are you suddenly this accusatory towards me?

Sashi: "Of course not! I just want to get to know you!"

Fudoki: "Well, there's nothing to know. I'm a scrawny, nerdy loser who's obsessed with music. Nothing else. There are plenty of more interesting people than me. Why are you even talking to me?"

Sashi: "Because I figured not very many people would be willing to talk to you. Sure, I could hang out with more interesting or popular people. But then I would just be like everyone else. I would never get to know you."

Fudoki: "Are you serious? Do you really want to get to know me?"

Sashi: "Yes. I never lie about things like this."

Fudoki: ".........."

Sashi: "What's wrong Fudoki?"

Fudoki: "I don't know how to feel about this."

Sashi: "Oh come on Fudoki. You were friends with Kando, weren't you? What's so different between that and this?"

Fudoki: "Kando was kind of a social outcast and nerd as well. That was the only reason we got along. You on the other hand, are a social butterfly. You probably have loads of friends."

Sashi: "So? Please Fudoki. Please let me be your friend. I really want to know you not as a nerd or a social outcast, but as Fudoki."

Fudoki: "What does that even mean?"

Sashi: "Uh, never mind. But, please, won't you let me talk to you just a little bit more?"

Fudoki: "Fine. If we ever hang out again, then I'll let you ask questions about me. Whatever you ask, I will answer to the best of my abilities. But for now, can I just be alone for a while?"

Sashi: "Of course Fudoki. But I will talk to you again tomorrow. There's no doubt about that."

Fudoki doesn't exactly seem like the most social person, which makes talking to him a bit difficult. However, there is something about him that makes me just want to know more about. He seems to have very low self-esteem and doesn't trust others very easily. I don't know if that is due to bullying, social anxiety, or some other problem. One thing is for sure though, I will get him to open up to me. I'm not leaving him alone until he recognizes me as a friend.

2/6 Friendship Fragments: Fudoki

After I left Fudoki alone in his lab, I retuned to my room. As soon as I laid on my bed, I heard the school announcement.

Monokuma: "Attention, everyone. It is now 10:00 P.M. As such, it is officially nighttime. Remember that you cannot go to the gym nor the dining hall at night. Murders also cannot be committed during this time, so please wait until the next morning to start killing. Now then, goodnight everyone."

It's nighttime. I never heard about Chiyo and what happened with her. I hope she's alright. I'm also worried about Tetsu, considering how upset she was yesterday. But I should just go to sleep for now. I'll be able to see them tomorrow anyways. As such, I put the blankets over my body and closed my eyes.

...........................

Monokuma: "Good morning everyone. If you heard this announcement, that means that is 7:00 A.M and nighttime is officially over. The dining hall and gym will now be open, and you're free to kill as much as you want. Get ready for another beautiful day in your killing school semester."

Morning already? I wish it was nighttime forever so I wouldn't have to worry about any more murders. But there's no use thinking about that now. Right now, I need to head to the dining hall. But as soon as I headed out my dorm, I noticed that someone was waiting for me. However, it wasn't who I expected.

Chiyo: "Helloooooooooooooo Sashi! Top of the morning to you!"

Sashi: "Chiyo? What are you doing here?"

Chiyo: "I was waiting for you of course. You are always the last person to get up. Why do you take so long to get ready? You're so silly."

Sashi: "You seem very energetic today."

Chiyo: "When am I not?"

Sashi: "Yesterday. You didn't even show up to the dining hall last night."

Chiyo: "Well, let's forget about that. Because that was yesterday and that is not today. Today is today."

Sashi: "Are you sure you're fine?"

Chiyo: "Yes I'm fine. Who are you, my mother? Let's just go to the dining hall already."

Chiyo suddenly dashed towards the cafeteria while I desperately tried to keep up. As soon as I headed inside the dining hall, I noticed that once again, everyone was already there. Well, everyone except Tetsu and Chimon of course.

Renora: "Good morning you two. Nice to see you came today Chiyo."

Of course, Renora is back to her outgoing and cheerful self. It was as if she was completely ignoring what she did last night. Speaking of.

Sashi: "Tetsu still isn't here?"

Gyo Shin: "What? Did you honestly think she would suddenly decide to come today?"

Sashi: "I really want everyone to come to the dining hall every morning. But Chimon and Tetsu still aren't coming. I'm really worried about them. Tetsu in particular I really need to check up on."

Yemon: "Maybe you should go to their rooms and see how they are doing? You might be able to convince them to come."

Renjiro: "Ugh. I don't really want Chimon to visit us at all."

Emnei: "I'm sure he won't be that bad. Maybe if he comes here often enough, he will be more friendly to us."

Akina: "I highly doubt that. He's just going to make us all even more miserable."

Nori: "Honestly though Akina, you're not much better."

Akina: "What the hell does that mean!? Am I really that hated?"

Renjiro: "Why do some many of you despise Akina so much?"

Gyo Shin: "Why do I eat food when I'm hungry? Is this a cafeteria we're in? Why do people laugh at funny jokes? Can you honestly ask a stupider fucking question?"

Yemon: "Honestly, I think you guys are too harsh on Akina."

Nori: "Well I think we're too soft on her! I'm going to be honest; I fucking hate her guts! I normally don't have that strong opinions on people, but man she is obnoxious! I hate boomerang bigots like her! People like her think they are the only good people of whatever group they hate because they're so goddamn ignorant that they don't understand people aren't monoliths!"

Sashi: "Whoa Nori. I think you should calm down."

Nori: "I'm sorry. I just really felt like I needed to ram the point into Yemon and Renjiro's brains. They were the ones telling us to be nicer to Akina after all."

Renjiro: "I kind of understand where you people are coming from, but honestly, Akina's a really nice person when you get to know her. Both me and Yemon have formed a pretty solid friendship with her. She's very friendly with us and she always listens to our issues. I honestly think this whole hating women thing is a façade."

Renora: "That's only because you both are manly men. With girls, especially very feminine ones, we get shit on all the time. It's nice to say good things about people when you are not their specific target. Besides, didn't you call Akina bigoted and ignorant before Yemon?"

Yemon: "That was before I really got to know her as a person. If you people really hate her that much, then I guess I can't change your mind."

Sashi: "I think we've really gone off topic here. I'm going to go check up on Tetsu and Chimon. I want to convince them to come to the dining hall for at least today."

Chiyo: "Good luck Sashi."

I walked out of the cafeteria and headed back towards the gym. Since I'm pretty sure he won't come, I decided to ring Chimon's doorbell first. Surprisingly, the door opened up only a couple seconds later. However, when Chimon opened the door, I saw that he held a knife up high, clearly threatening me. I was so shocked that I started screaming.

Sashi: "AAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! DON'T KILL ME!!!"

Chimon: "You don't have any weapons on you?"

Sashi: "N-N-No. I'll empty out my pockets. Just please don't hurt me!"

I quickly emptied out my pockets and when he saw that I didn't have any weapons on me, he put the knife away in his drawer.

Chimon: "Sorry about that. I always have to make sure in situations like these. Never know when someone might be trying to kill you."

Sashi: "T-Thank God. I thought you were actually going to hurt me. I almost had a heart attack."

Chimon: "What do you want? Why are you here?"

Sashi: "I just really want to thank you for helping us during the trial. Marika would have gotten away if you didn't step up."

Chimon: "Whatever. My life is on the line too, you know. Of course, I'm going to give it my all."

Sashi: "You know how you say you don't have an Ultimate talent? Perhaps you are secretly the Ultimate Detective! I'm right, aren't I?"

Chimon: "Heh. I highly doubt it. I'm just a typical high school student. I don't have any special talents like that."

Sashi: "I don't know about that. I don't think you would have been here in the first place if you didn't already have an Ultimate talent."

Chimon: "Why are you really here? Did you really come all the way over here just to have small talk?"

Sashi: "I was wondering if you could come to the cafeteria today. Can you please come? It's important in order to know which people are alive each day."

Chimon: "Didn't I already tell you? I'm not coming to the meetings."

Sashi: "Come on Chimon. You don't have to talk to everyone. You can just talk to me and Emnei if you want. It will just be like the party where we all played chess games together. Wasn't that a fun time?"

Chimon: "That was a one-time thing. I only came to the party for survival. Any other day I would never bother playing chess with you people. Do you honestly think I really trust you guys that much?"

Sashi: "What does that mean?"

Chimon: "I said this a million times, but I'll say it again. I'm not socializing with you people because then you'll just betray me. That's what happens in this killing game. I'm not doing this just to be an asshole. I'm doing this for survival. Now will you kindly leave me alone and never come back."

Chimon then slammed the door in my face. I tried to knock at the door, but there was no answer. I knew talking to him would be hopeless. But I guess I should at least try to talk to Tetsu. I really need to see if she's okay after yesterday. I rang the doorbell to Tetsu's dorm, and she came out immediately. She still looked very upset but didn't seem to be on the verge of tears anymore.

Sashi: "Good morning Tetsu."

Tetsu gave a slight but lazy wave at me.

Sashi: "Look, I'm really sorry about what happened between you and Renora. I tried to stop her, but I only got pushed away. So how about you head to the dining hall with us? You don't have to talk if you don't want to. But it would be nice to at least know that you are alive. So how about it?"

Tetsu: "Renora."

Sashi: "Huh? Oh, are you worried about her? Don't worry. She never acts out in front of people. She probably only yelled at you because she thought she was alone with you. Come on Tetsu. Can you please come with me?"

Tetsu gave a slight nod and shut the dorm door behind her. It looked like she was ready to come today.

Sashi: "Yay! I knew I could convince you!"

I headed back to the cafeteria with Tetsu. When I came through the doors with her, everyone was equally shocked to see Tetsu come.

Sashi: "Guess what everyone. I managed to convince Tetsu to come to the dining hall with us!"

Nori: "Congrats Tetsu! You were finally willing to open up to us!"

Yemon: "You can sit by yourself if you want. We're just honestly happy to have you, even if you don't want to socialize with us."

Tetsu grabbed a bowl of food and sat in an empty table by herself. I wanted to sit with her, but I figured she wants to be left alone. Just her being here is a big accomplishment on its own. Besides, there's someone else I need to talk to right now. Nori. I really need to let her know about Renora's true nature, since she seems the closest to her right now.

Sashi: "Hey Nori. You seem to have finished eating. Can you come with me to the park? We need to have a talk, alone."

Nori: "I don't know what this is about, but I'm always happy to talk to you Sashi."

I quickly led Nori out of the dining hall and into the park.

Sashi: "Nori. There's something I need to tell you about Renora."

Nori: "That she's beautiful? Wait, do you have a crush on her as well!? Well unfortunately, I think she's straight. I tried to hit on her multiple times, but she always brushes it off."

Sashi: "What!? No! That's not what I'm talking about!"

Nori: "Wait. Really? I think I just revealed something about myself that I shouldn't have. Heh Heh."

You sure did.

Sashi: "What I mean is that Renora isn't as nice of a person as she may seem."

Nori: "In what way?"

I told the entire story about what happened between her and Tetsu. Nori looked flabbergasted by the whole thing.

Nori: "Are you sure that really happened?"

Sashi: "Positive. I'm sure Tetsu would agree if you asked her."

Nori: "I still think you're exaggerating, but if what you are saying is really true, then I guess I should have a talk with her. Because that kind of behavior is not okay."

Sashi: "Thanks Nori. I really appreciate you taking the time to listen to me."

Nori: "No problem."

Nori soon walked away from the park. I guess I should walk back to my dorm room now. But when I started to walk back, I heard yet another argument take place. It was right in front of the dorms, all to see in my eyes.

Doryo: "Fucking pussy! You're such a goddamn cowardly bitch that you couldn't even come to the party! What's even worse is that you decided to bow in front of everyone and say 'Oh, I'm so sorry for this. I want to change.' You're not a real man! A real man never apologizes! Apologizing for doing something cowardly makes you even more of a pussy!"

Fudoki: "I'm sorry for apologizing. I won't do it again. Just please don't hurt me."

Doryo: "Dumbass!!! You did it again!!! I'm going to punch you right in the face! Then you will maybe stop apologizing!"

Doryo soon raised his fist at Fudoki. But before he could swing, he was stopped by a sudden voice. And it was honestly the least person I would expect to speak up.

Chimon: "Coward? Look at yourself Doryo."

Doryo: "The fuck you say to me you little shit head!!!"

Chimon: "Oh, did I hurt your little feelings? Oh, boo hoo. For someone who claims to be a real man, you tend to get really offended by even the mildest of insults. That's why you are a coward Doryo. You constantly dish out shit but can't take it back."

Doryo: "What the hell are you talking about!?! Are you telling me violence and screaming at people is somehow weak!?!"

Chimon: "Look at who you are targeting, Doryo. Fudoki is way weaker than you, and that's why you target him. You only target weak people. That's because they are easy targets for you. You pretend to be tough, when in reality you're a huge fucking bitch."

Doryo: "You got some fucking nerve talking shit to me Fudoki! I'll permanently shut you up, with my fists!"

Doryo once again tried to raise his fist at Chimon. But just like last time, before he could swing it, another voice came to stop him.

Renjiro: "YOU LIKE VIOLENCE SO MUCH RENJIRO!!! THEN HOW ABOUT YOU PICK A FIGHT WITH ME, HUH!!!"

Doryo: "Pfft. I can easily take you on. I'll fight you. I just need some time to get ready. Meet me in the gym tomorrow at 10:00 AM. I'll make sure your entire face is wrecked by the time I'm finished."

Doryo soon went back to his dorm and slammed the door in a fit of rage.

Chimon: "Is he really serious? There's no way he's that stupid, right? To start a fight with a goddamn bodybuilder."

Fudoki: "I don't know. He might actually be that stupid."

Sashi: "Renjiro, I understand how you feel, but violence is never the answer. Even if you can easily overpower Doryo, you can still get hurt. Please don't be too reckless."

Renjiro: "I appreciate your concern, but I doubt he will even live up to his promise. He will probably be too scared of me to even come to the gym in the first place. Just watch."

Sashi: "Alright Renjiro."

Renjiro walked away from the dorms, leaving me, Fudoki, and Chimon by ourselves.

Sashi: "That was awesome Chimon! See, I knew you had a heart after all!"

Chimon: "Shut up. I was just telling the truth. It really pisses me off when people antagonize people for incredible hypocritical reasons. I may be an asshole, but at least I'm aware of it. Doryo's a coward and he's not even aware of it. So, I told him the truth in order to get him to shut up."

Sashi: "Honestly Chimon, I think you're just making excuses. In reality, you cared about Fudoki, so you called out Doryo in order to prevent him from getting hurt. You really are a tsundere, Chimon."

Chimon: "Stop calling me that."

Sashi: "Hehehe."

Chimon walked back to his dorm room and shut the door. In the meantime, I made sure Fudoki was alright.

Sashi: "Fudoki, are you okay?"

Fudoki: "I'm fine. Luckily Doryo never hit me. But things like that are why I was worried about socializing with people. Whenever I try to socialize, it just ends up in me being bullied. I should have never apologized in the first place."

Sashi: "No, don't say that. It was a good thing that you apologized. Only Doryo is bullying you. Everyone else is happy that you are trying to socialize with them."

Fudoki: "I don't know about that. You might be right though. I think I'll head back to my lab. Come there if you need anything."

Fudoki walked away from the dorms and towards his lab. In the meantime, I decided to stay in my room for a while. But I can't stay here forever. There must be something I can do to pass out the time.

FREE TIME START

I guess I should talk with Yemon. He seems like a very friendly and extroverted person that seems easy to get along with. So, I decide to ring the doorbell to his dorm room and see if he would come out. Sure enough, Yemon came out of his room immediately.

Yemon: "Oh hey Sashi. What do you need?"

Sashi: "Hello Yemon. I was wondering if we could hang out for a while."

Yemon: "You don't need to say that again! Of course, I'm down for hanging out with you!"

Sashi: "In that case, what do you want to do?"

Yemon: "I've been needing to exercise a bit more. In that case, let's jog around the school a couple of times."

I jogged a few laps around the school with Yemon.

Yemon and I grew a little closer today.

Sashi: "Yemon? I was wondering about your ultimate talent. How exactly did you get into car racing?"

Yemon: "That's a really long story. You sure you want to hear it all?"

Sashi: "I don't see why not."

Yemon: "When I was a little kid, I was obsessed with cars. I had tons of toy vehicles that I would play with. Often times, I would have races with my siblings using these cars. But most importantly, I loved watching car races on TV."

Sashi: "Car races on TV? You don't find those boring? Nothing happens in these races. The cars just race around a loop for hours and hours on end. There is nothing exciting going on."

Yemon: "Not for me. I guess I was a simple kid. Just seeing those cars zoom by over a hundred miles per hour was enough excitement for me. I loved the sleek designs and fancy colors of the sport cars as well. But what really got me hooked, was my attachment to one specific race car driver."

Sashi: "Who was it?"

Yemon: "Izuhara Tanzan."

Sashi: "Oh, I heard of him. He's like the most famous car racer in Japan. In terms of car racing, he's the best of the best. He's never gotten anything behind third place in years."

Yemon: "He was truly incredible. But what's most important is that he was a good role model for me. His speeches whenever he won a huge game were incredibly moving and inspirational. He was the kind of person I wanted to be. I wanted to be a race car driver so I could become famous like him. I wanted to deliver speeches like him. I wanted to know what is like to be in such thrilling and action-packed car races."

Sashi: "So that's how you got interested in car racing."

Yemon: "Pretty much."

Sashi: "Didn't you say you also participated in illegal street races?"

Yemon: "Yeah. Even though I was too young to get a driving license at the time, I was tired of waiting. So, I decided to drive in secret with some of my older friends. They taught me all the basics of driving. By the time I was ready to take the driving test, I absolutely aced it."

Sashi: "You never got caught?"

Yemon: "Nope. Not once. The place where I live has a very barren desert nearby, so we often drove around there without anyone seeing us."

Sashi: "I still think you shouldn't do that. It's illegal."

Yemon: "Well in my defense, it's not like I'm hurting anyone else. Since we drive on a barren desert, we aren't harming any potential pedestrians."

Sashi: "It's still dangerous though. You can hurt yourself or your friends in those kinds of street races."

Yemon: "Well it's not really a street race if it's not on a street. My friends just gathered a bunch of traffic cones in order to from a racetrack. Also, we're all experienced enough in driving to the point where accidents never happen."

Sashi: "If you say so."

Yemon: "So that's what I did before I got my license. Once I got, I instantly signed up for car racing tournaments. That's how I became known as the Ultimate Car Racer."

Sashi: "That was a great story Yemon. I'm glad I got to hear it all."

Yemon: "No problem Sashi. You're welcome to hear my stories any time."

While Yemon is a bit reckless, he is a pretty fun guy to hang out. I feel like the more we hang out, the closer we become as friends. But I secretly wonder if there's anything more to him that he hasn't already shared.

Friendship Fragments 2/6: Yemon

After I parted ways with Yemon, I returned to my room. However, I still have some time left in the day, so I should hang out with someone else. I guess I should continue talking to Fudoki. So, I decided to walk over to his lab. Sure enough, Fudoki was already in there.

Sashi: "Hello Fudoki. I was wondering if we could hang out again."

Fudoki: "I didn't think you would actually decide to hang out with me again. Not that I'm complaining. How about we discuss our favorite types of music and authorship ? I'm curious to know what you like."

I discussed music with Fudoki.

Fudoki and I grew a little closer today.

Sashi: "Fudoki, you said I could ask you questions the next time we hanged out. Correct?"

Fudoki: "Yeah. What about it?"

Sashi: "In that case, I've got a question for you. Why do you have so much trouble keeping eye contact with me?"

Fudoki: "I already told you. It's just a bad habit."

Sashi: "I think it's more than that. But that's not the only thing. You also speak very unemotionally and in monotone, even when discussing things that interest you. Not to mention, you seem very distant from other people and don't seem to have very many friends. What is the cause of all this? This isn't typical behavior for someone who's completely normal."

Suddenly, Fudoki's expression suddenly got serious. Not unemotional or blank like usual, but completely serious. Whatever I just said was a very hard topic for him.

Fudoki: "How am I supposed to answer that question? It's just how I am. It's not something I can easily control. What do you want me to say?"

Sashi: "I want you to be completely honest with me. What do you think is the cause of all these social and behavior issues?"

Fudoki: "I didn't want to bring this up. But I said I would answer any question you would ask me, so here's my response. I'm autistic."

Sashi: "I figured. A lot of your systems perfectly line up with Autism. I was just wondering if you were even aware of it yourself."

Fudoki: "How can I not be aware of it when I have to be reminded of it every single day of my freaking life?"

Sashi: "What do you mean by that?"

Fudoki: "Every single day, people make fun of me for it. I have to explain it to teachers whenever I join a new class. My parents bring it up all the time."

Sashi: "Do you not like it when people bring up the subject of your autism?"

Fudoki: "Yes, which includes you. I don't want to discuss this topic anymore."

Sashi: "Then maybe we can talk about something else?"

Fudoki: "Sorry, but there's nothing else to talk about. I answered your question, so there's nothing else that needs to be said. Can you please leave me alone now?"

Sashi: "Why are you being so distant towards me? I thought you would like to have a friend."

Fudoki: "I don't like friends that bring up my personal issues and rub it in my face."

Sashi: "I wasn't rubbing it in your face. I was just trying to understand you a bit more."

Fudoki: "Well, there's nothing to understand. I'm just an autistic loser who doesn't deserve to have any friends. Goodbye."

Sashi: "Wait, Fudoki~!"

But it was useless, Fudoki had already left his lab and went back to his room. Did I accidentally offend him? I was trying to get to know him. I hope he's not mad at me. I really want to get to know him better. But with the way he's acting, it's making it really difficult.

3/6 Friendship Fragments: Fudoki

After Fudoki left his lab, I had no choice but to return to my dorm room. When I came back, an announcement came from the monitor. But it wasn't the nighttime announcement. This announcement was especially significant.

Monokuma: "Everyone, please head to the gym at once. The headmaster has an important announcement to make there."

What's this about? This feels really suspicious to me, but I don't think I have a choice on the matter. So, I headed to the gym, where everyone else was waiting.

Emnei: "Sashi's here. Now everyone should be here now."

Chimon: "What is this about I wonder? Is this going to be another motive?"

Gyo Shin: "Please don't let it be another motive. You know what will happen if it is. Someone will kill someone because of this motive, and we will have another class trial."

Chiyo: "Don't think like that. Come on everyone, let's stay positive!"

Fudoki: "I'm really worried about this. I don't think I can stay positive if it is a motive."

Yemon: "Come on everyone. Monokuma hasn't even shown up yet. Until he gives the big news, we shouldn't say anything."

Monokuma: "Well it looks like everyone is here. So, I guess it's time to make an announcement. First, I have a question for you all. How many of you plan to go to college?"

Chimon: "What the hell does this have to do with anything?"

Monokuma: "Just answer the question!"

Everyone except Doryo raised their hands.

Monokuma: "Good. Now here's another question. How many of you wish to go to a specific college, but can't actually go there due to not being qualified or any other reason?"

Once again, everyone except Doryo raised their hands.

Monokuma: "Wonderful. It looks like almost everyone is on board. Now I would like to show you all something."

Monokuma held out what looked to be a pile of different papers.

Renora: "What are those?"

Monokuma: "These are college applications. However, these aren't just any college applications. These are college applications that have the maximum requirements needed for any type of university. All that's missing is the name of the university that you want to join, and the name of the person this applies to. I'm sure you would all like something like this."

Nori: "You're just going to hand us forged application papers? Do you really think that's legal?"

Chimon: "Well killing games aren't legal either. Do you honestly think Monokuma follows laws?"

Sashi: "But if we had these application papers, we would almost certainly get found out immediately. I mean, all of our parents would know we aren't qualified for these kinds of colleges. It would be extremely suspicious."

Monokuma: "That won't be an issue. I assure that nobody would get in trouble for this."

Chiyo: "Why should we believe you?"

Monokuma: "If the police can't figure out a killing game is going on, what makes you think they would be aware of college applications being forged? What I mean is that I have control over the laws."

Renjiro: "But how do we even get these college applications in the first place?"

Monokuma: "If you want these college applications for free, then all you have to do is kill someone! That's right, this is my second motive! Ahahaha!"

Literally no one had a reaction out of that. But not out of fear, but out of confusion and bewilderment.

Chimon: "Are you fucking kidding me? That's the best you could come up with? What's next; whoever murders someone gets awarded unlimited ice cream?"

Gyo Shin: "I bet Naeko would fall for that. You know, because he obviously craves food all the time due to his weight."

Naeko: "FOOL!!! WHAT DID YOU SAY TO THE ULTIMATE MAD SCIENTIST!!!"

Gyo Shin: "Relax Naeko. I was only joking. You need to learn to have a better sense of humor."

Is she really a comedian? Because the only one who needs to have a better sense of humor is her. At least she doesn't seem to be depressed any more.

Emnei: "Do you honestly expect us to murder for such a petty reason?"

Yemon: "Looks like your motive has failed to convince us Monokuma! Maybe you should have just reused the last motive."

Monokuma: "Shut up! I never reuse motives! Besides, I am 100% satisfied with my motive! Look, you all say that no one would act on such a petty motive, but how do you know that? Someone might kill for such a stupid reason for all you know."

FudokI: "But we're Ultimate students. In that case, aren't most of us already qualified for any university we want?"

Monokuma: "You said most, not all. There's at least one person here where this is a serious issue for them. You don't know."

Doryo: "I assume that's all you're here to tell us."

Monokuma: "Yep. Since I revealed my motive, I'm all done now. Goodbye everyone. Have fun killing! Puhuhuhu."

Monokuma then left the scene, leaving only the students in the gym.

Nori: "Everyone. No matter your reason, you cannot kill someone. Please don't let another murder occur. Not only because it puts everyone's lives at stake, but because Marika begged us not to let any more murders happen."

Akina: "I don't think anybody is going to take anyone's lives for such a pathetic motive."

Nori: "I know. I'm just saying just in case."

Gyo Shin: "You really think another murder won't happen? We're stuck here for the rest of our lives, you know that. You honestly think no one will kill anybody until everyone dies of old age?"

Yemon: "We will escape long before any of us die of old age. Besides, I believe no of us have any good reason to kill."

Gyo Shin: "We're trapped here. There is no way to escape. You're being delusional. Even if nobody has a good reason to kill right now, Monokuma will likely just give a better motive later on."

Renjiro: "Why are you acting cynical again? I thought you got over it."

Gyo Shin: "I will never get over it! Not as long as my life is forever at stake! Why won't any of you understand the suffering I am going through right now!?"

Renora: "Come on Gyo Shin. It's going to be alright; I promise. So, don't be so upset."

Gyo Shin: "I'm going back to my room. Do not follow me."

Gyo Shin left the gym with her parting words.

Chiyo: "You think Gyo Shin is right? That another murder will happen eventually?"

Fudoki: "In that case, what should we do? Yemon, do you have something else planned in order to prevent any murders? Like the party you threw. Whatever you suggest, I will participate and help out the best I can. Because I'm not backing out on my promise to you all."

Yemon: "I don't know. There's no time limit on this motive, so I can't just throw another party. I have to think about it. But I will come up with some kind of idea, I assure you all."

Chiyo: "Thank you Yemon. You're always willing to help us out."

Yemon: "Why wouldn't I want to help you guys? It's for everyone's lives, including me."

Sashi: "Umm. Are we ready to head back to our dorm rooms now?"

Emnei: "I guess."

Nori: "So goodnight everyone."

As such, we all began to leave the gym one by one. But before I could head back to my room, Nori called out to me.

Nori: "Sashi, can we talk for a second?"

Sashi: "Sure Nori. What do you need?"

Nori: "I talked to Renora like you asked. She said that she wasn't intentionally trying to hurt Tetsu's feelings. Renora only burned Tetsu's notebook because she wanted to help her. She wanted her to talk more and be less shy. If what she says is true, then I think you got the completely wrong idea."

I knew Renora would try to bluff her way out of it. That's definitely a lie. If she was trying to help Tetsu, she wouldn't have screamed at her so hard that she ran to her room crying. She also wouldn't have threatened me like that.

Sashi: "I'm sorry Nori, but Renora is lying. The way she screamed at Tetsu, she was bullying her, not helping her."

Nori: "But what's to say you're not lying?"

Sashi: "What would I have to gain from lying?"

Nori: "I don't know. Maybe you have a deep grudge against her or something."

Sashi: "Do you really think that lowly of me Nori? I'm telling you; I'm not lying."

Nori: "I'm sorry Sashi. But when it comes to either you or Renora, I'll definitely believe Renora."

Sashi: "Ask Tetsu. I'm sure she will agree with me."

Nori: "I doubt she will say anything. Besides, Tetsu might have gotten the wrong idea as well."

Sashi: "Why are you being like this Nori? Why are you believing Renora so easily?"

Nori: "I can say the same for you right now. Why are you being so accusatory?"

Sashi: "I don't want to cause an argument Nori. If you don't believe me, then let's just drop the topic."

Nori: "Fine. But I'm heading to my room now."

Sashi: "Goodnight Nori."

Nori left the gym, and I came out soon afterwards. I then headed back to my room, where once again, the nighttime announcement came.

Monokuma: "Attention, everyone. It is now 10:00 P.M. As such, it is officially nighttime. Remember that you cannot go to the gym nor the dining hall at night. Murders also cannot be committed during this time, so please wait until the next morning to start killing. Now then, goodnight everyone."

I guess I should get some rest now. I really hope that motive doesn't affect anyone, but I shouldn't think like that.

..................

Monokuma: "Good morning everyone. If you heard this announcement, that means that is 7:00 A.M and nighttime is officially over. The dining hall and gym will now be open, and you're free to kill as much as you want. Get ready for another beautiful day in your killing school semester."

These nights always pass by so quick. Anyways, I better head to the dining hall now. After I headed out of my dorm room, I decided to go to the cafeteria. This time, everyone was here except Chimon.

Nori: "Good morning Sashi."

Yemon: "Okay now that everyone is here, I have come up with an idea."

Fudoki: "Wait, have you come up with something in order to stop the killing game?"

Yemon: "I don't know, but I should let you all know anyways. So basically, I found yet another hidden room. I haven't entered it yet, but I just wanted to let you know."

Emnei: "Where is this hidden room?"

Yemon: "I can't tell you right now. It might be dangerous, so I'm going to head in alone. Nobody follow me, alright."

Renora: "Is that all?"

Yemon: "Pretty much."

Renjiro: "Wait, Yemon. I don't think you should go alone. If it really is that dangerous, then you should go with me."

Yemon: "I meant it when I said I don't want anybody following me. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine, I promise."

Sashi: "I'm still worried about you, but if you really insist, then I guess we will let you go by yourself."

Yemon: "Thanks everyone."

After Yemon finished his speech, we all began to eat. Afterwards, we all headed out of the cafeteria except me. I just remembered that Renjiro was planning on fighting Doryo at 10:00 AM. However, it is currently 9:50 AM. It is ten minutes before the fight, yet Renjiro seemed to be heading back to his room. Did he back away from this fight? In order to find out, I chased after him.

Sashi: "Renjiro?"

Renjiro: "Oh hi Sashi. Do you need something?"

Sashi: "I'm just wondering. The fight you wanted to have with Doryo starts in like eight minutes. In that case, why are you heading back to your room? Shouldn't you be going to the gym?"

Renjiro: "I'm definitely coming to the gym, just not right now. I still have a couple of minutes left. I'm just going back to my dorm room to prepare for the fight."

Sashi: "Prepare? Why now? At this moment, you will have almost no time to prepare, if any at all. Why didn't you prepare earlier? Did you forget?"

Renjiro: "No, I definitely didn't forget. Honestly, does it even matter if I'm just a little bit late? I bet you Doryo was so cowardly that he won't even come to the gym. There's no way he's brave enough to fight someone like me. Watch. After I do a few Quico exercises, I will come to the gym in order to find that Doryo is not even there."

Sashi: "Really? Because there's only five minutes left now? It's probably best to head to the gym now, don't you think?"

Renjiro: "I will. Just give me a few minutes."

Of course I didn't actually want Renjiro to go fight Doryo. But I was surprised that he's being so hesitant to go to the gym. I don't think he's actually going back to his dorm room to prepare. I think he actually doesn't want to fight him. If so, that's really surprising. Renjiro who was the one who made that promise in the first place, not to mention how strong he seems to be. If he is really is so tough, why doesn't he want to fight?

Sashi: "Renjiro. You don't actually want to fight Doryo, do you?"

Renjiro: "The fuck are you talking about? Of course I want to fight him. I'm the one who even proposed to fight him in the first place."

Sashi: "Then why aren't you heading to the gym?"

Renjiro: "I already told you, I'm just preparing."

Sashi: "I don't believe that for a second, because it's already too late. If you don't come to the gym right now, you will be tardy."

Renjiro: "Why the hell is any of your business if I come to the gym or not!? Leave me alone!"

Sashi: "So you confirm that you aren't going to beat him up?"

Renjiro: "Shut up!"

Renjiro then walked away from me and headed back to his dorm room. Why doesn't he want to fight Doryo? Like I'm happy that he's not going to go hurt himself, but it's really surprising. Maybe Renjiro truly isn't as tough as he seems. Well regardless of Renjiro, I decided to head to my dorm room for the time being. But what should I do? I'm not going to stay in my dorm room forever.

FREE TIME START

I guess I should talk to Fudoki some more for now, since Yemon is probably busy searching that hidden room. So, I decided to walk over to his lab, where surely enough, Fudoki was playing his music. This time he was playing the drums.

Sashi: "Hi Fudoki."

Fudoki: "Hello."

Sashi: "You want to hang out today Fudoki?"

Fudoki: "Sure. I have nothing else to do. How about we start discussing our hobbies and interests?"

Fudoki and I started talking about our hobbies and interests.

Fudoki and I grew a little closer today.

Sashi: "So Fudoki, are you still mad at me."

Fudoki: "Mad at you? What are you talking about?"

Sashi: "You know, the last time we hanged out? When you got mad at me for bring up your autism."

Fudoki: "Oh, that. To be honest, I was never really angry at you. Like I said, I'm used to it."

Sashi: "Well it's kind of hard to tell when you are angry or not due to your unemotional tone of voice."

Fudoki: "I was just expecting us to be able to have a normal conversation without the topic of my autism coming into play."

Sashi: "I'm sorry if I ever bothered you."

Fudoki: "It's okay. I'm already over it anyways. Hey, you said you wanted to learn more about me, right?"

Sashi: "Yeah. But didn't you say there was nothing else to learn about you?"

Fudoki: "I sort of lied about that. There is something I can tell you."

Sashi: "Really? Do tell."

Fudoki: "You might have noticed that I tend to bring up me being used to people making fun of me or bringing up my autism. It's because it happens almost every day when I'm not at home. People bully me all the time. People insult me and sometimes even physically harm me because of my autism. It has made my live a living torture."

Sashi: "That's awful. People shouldn't treat you badly because you're different. You were born this way, there's nothing you can do about it."

Fudoki: "You shouldn't pity me so much. It's my fault for being such a moron. If I wasn't so awkward in social situations, people would likely leave me alone. That's why it's useless for me to even try to socialize with people I don't know. It just results in me being humiliated and insulted."

Sashi: "You shouldn't be so hard on yourself Fudoki. Besides, I'm your friend, right? That shows that there's at least someone who's willing to talk to you. Someone who will understand your issues."

Fudoki: "But it might be a bit too late. I've met people that actually cared for me as a person, but they're very rare compared to the people who don't care about me. The wide majority of people I met don't care for me as a person. Sometimes they just ignore me, while others make fun of me. I've been called so many names that I can't even list them all off. I've been called a 'retard', a 'pussy', an 'idiot', a 'moron', etc. I've even gotten beat up and shoved into lockers on a few occasions. One time, I was so bruised up that I had to go to the hospital for a little while."

Sashi: "What!? That's illegial! Are you telling me someone just physically assaulted you so bad that you had to go to the hospital!? That's battery! Please tell me the person at least got in trouble for it!"

Fudoki: "Oh believe me, my parents were furious when they found out. But the school never punished the person who bullied me. My parents tried to sue the school, but the district immediately dropped the issue. It never even went to court."

Sashi: "How is that even possible? If a crime is being occurred, then it should at least be investigated!"

Fudoki: "My guess is that the school is bribing the police. They don't want their reputation to go down the drain. It's the only high school in my city after all."

Sashi: "You must have gone to a really crappy school, huh. So, none of the adults there even tried to help you?"

Fudoki: "Pretty much. Some of them were just as bad as the students. Teachers would often ignore me and never pick on me whenever I raised my hand to answer a question. Other times they would even join in on the bullying. Whenever I didn't understand a question or the instructions, the teachers would often scream at me, calling me a dumbass and what not. Only like two or three teachers I felt actually understood me."

Sashi: "That must have been really tough. Having no adults to rely on."

Fudoki: "Yeah it was. Can we please stop talking for now, because I don't want to discuss this anymore."

Sashi: "Okay Fudoki. Goodbye."

Fudoki: "Bye."

Wow, I had a feeling that Fudoki must have been bullied a lot growing up, but I didn't know it was that bad. Nobody deserves to be treated like that. Fudoki may think he's an autistic loser who doesn't deserve to have friends, but I think otherwise. I felt like I've gotten to learn a lot more about Fudoki today.

Friendship Fragments 4/6: Fudoki

After I parted with Fudoki, I decided to head back to my room. I think Yemon's done searching now. Maybe I should talk with him for a while. So, I ringed the doorbell on Yemon's door and he immediately came out.

Yemon: "Hey Sashi. What do you need?"

Sashi: "I was just wondering if you had finished investigating."

Yemon: "Y-Yeah."

Why is Yemon acting so weird? It's like he doesn't want to talk about it.

Sashi: "Did you find anything?"

Yemon: "Unfortunately no."

Sashi: "In that case, do you want to hang out for a bit."

Yemon: "Of course Sashi. I've got an idea. Let's swim laps in the pool."

Me and Yemon started swimming laps in the pool.

Yemon and I grew a little closer today.

Sashi: "Hey Yemon, I was wondering. Do you have any siblings?"

Yemon: "That's an interesting topic right there. I actually have tons of siblings. Some of them are stepsiblings, while others are half-siblings. I don't think I can say an exact number, because I haven't even met a good chunk of them."

Sashi: "Stepsiblings you say. Did your parents divorce?"

Yemon: "Yeah. You see, I was born to my mother's second husband. My mom has divorced a total of two times. Right now, she's living with her third husband. She has given birth to children with all of her husbands, which is why I have so many siblings. And that's not even counting the siblings my fathers have given birth to in their own separate marriages."

Sashi: "I guess you must have had a pretty big family."

Yemon: "Yeah. Right now, I'm living with my biological mother. I'm currently living with my brother, sister, stepsister, older stepsister, and half-brother. That's six siblings in total in my household alone."

Sashi: "What's it like living with such a big family?"

Yemon: "It can get pretty hectic, but I like it. It just means there's more family that you can get close to and emotionally connect with. You never get bored when there's so many family members to talk to."

Sashi: "How old are you compared to the rest of your siblings?"

Yemon: "In my house, I'm the second oldest, with only my brother being older. In terms of general family, I have no idea. Like I said, I haven't even met some of my siblings. But my older brother has already graduated from college and moved out, so I've pretty much the older brother of the house. As such, I'm often in charge with looking after my siblings when my parents are too busy."

Sashi: "That's a lot of family. I'm an only child, so I have no idea of what it is like."

Yemon: "Consider yourself lucky. While I personally enjoy having such a large family tree, it is a huge mess. It's hard to keep track of and take care of so many siblings. It can also get pretty annoying, especially with the younger siblings."

Sashi: "Yeah. I probably wouldn't enjoy having so many brothers and sisters. I'm fine with being an only child."

Yemon: "Listen Sashi. It's getting pretty late, so how about we cut loose for now. It was wonderful talking to you once again."

Sashi: "Goodbye Yemon."

Yemon: "Later Sashi."

I didn't know Yemon had such a large family. But something about it really intrigues me. It just makes me want to learn more about his family. Slowly but surely, I feel like me and Yemon are getting a little closer.

Friendship Fragments 3/6: Yemon

After me and Yemon finished our conversation, I headed back to my room. But just as I was about to rest on my bed, the doorbell rang. Who could it be this time? When I opened the door, the person I least expected showed up on my door. It was Tetsu.

Sashi: "Hello Tetsu. What do you need?"

Tetsu: "........."

Sashi: "Still too shy to talk, huh? I can grab some paper for you to write on if you like."

Tetsu: "That's not necessary."

Sashi: "Oh. So you're going to talk to me after all?"

Tetsu: "For a bit. But only because I trust you. I'm not willing to talk to anyone else just yet."

Sashi: "It's nice to know that you trust me. So, what do you need?"

Tetsu: "You know how we were thinking of ways to stop another murder to happen? Well, I've got an idea."

Sashi: "Really? What's your idea?"

Tetsu: "You know the Ultimate Chemist Lab? I've got a suggestion on what we should do there."

Sashi: "Are you thinking about removing any dangerous chemicals? Sorry, but Monopup said he would just replace them if they went missing."

Tetsu: "I figured something like that would happen. In that case, I got a different idea. How about we remove all the labels for any poisons in there? That way people won't know what's in there."

Sashi: "That's a wonderful idea Tetsu! Now people won't know that the containers actually contain poison. So, if people wanted to use poison, they wouldn't be able to without guessing. I doubt people would even notice that only toxic chemicals had their labels removed."

Tetsu: "If we are really worried about people recognizing which chemicals had labels for poison, then we can just mix the chemicals around. Then people would be less likely to know which containers are for which category. Or alternatively, we can just remove all chemical labels."

Sashi: "I don't think that's necessary. I think we should only remove labels for dangerous chemicals. Because we never know when any of this stuff might come in handy. Plus, Naeko likes doing experiments in his lab, so it would be more convenient for him if he could know which chemicals are which without running tests or whatever."

Tetsu: "Okay. Let's head to the lab then."

Sashi: "Wait. How about we grab Fudoki? He's been really wanting to help stop the killing game recently, so how about he helps us? It's a great opportunity for him to socialize more and cooperate."

Tetsu: "I don't think I can talk with him around though."

Sashi: "Oh, don't be so shy. Fudoki's harmless. He won't care about what you have to say."

Tetsu: "I'm not talking to him. I don't even know him that well. You can bring him, but I'm not saying anything until we're by ourselves."

Sashi: "I'll still bring him though. I think Fudoki will really appreciate it."

I walked out of my room and rang the doorbell on Fudoki's room. After a few seconds, he opened the door."

Fudoki: "Yes?"

Sashi: "I was wondering if you could help us with something. Since I know you have been wanting to cooperate with the other students more, I've got an idea for what we should do. How about you join me and Tetsu in the task of removing labels for the chemicals in Naeko's lab? Then we will mix up the chemicals around, making it harder for people to know which chemicals are which. That will make it harder for the students to kill anybody with poison."

Fudoki: "Sure, I'm in. Anything that will help stop the killing game is fine by me."

Sashi: "Thank you Fudoki."

Fudoki soon started following us as we headed over to Naeko's lab. Once we got inside, we all began the task of removing all the labels from all the containers and flasks. We then dumped the labels in a garbage bin nearby. Afterwards, we all mixed up the chemicals, changing their positions on the shelf.

Sashi: "Looks like we're done. Thanks for helping everyone."

But when I glanced at Fudoki, something seemed off about him. He seemed to have be staring at the wall, as if something was bothering him. While I couldn't tell based on his facial expression, he definitely seemed concerned about something.

Sashi: "What's wrong Fudoki?"

Fudoki: "Nothing."

Sashi: "You don't have to lie to me Fudoki. I can definitely tell something is on your mind. You can tell me. Nobody can help you unless you say what the issue is."

Fudoki: "I've just been very depressed lately. Well pretty much the entire time I've been in this killing game, but especially now."

Sashi: "Why are you so depressed Fudoki? Are you just worried about being killed? If so, don't worry, because we are all worried about that."

Fudoki: "Well yeah. But it's not just that. Ever since I've decided to interact more with the students, I've been bullied and ignored."

Sashi: "Is it Doryo? Is he still bothering you?"

Fudoki: "Yeah. He's been insulting and threating me almost every day since we started. Now that I've been more talkative, he started physically assaulting me. Saying that I should just stay silent. That I'm ruining his mood by rubbing my nerdiness and social awkwardness in his face."

Sashi: "Don't worry about him. He just says stuff like that in order to get on your nerve. He pretty much does that to everyone. You're not the only one."

Fudoki: "But it's not just him. Whenever I try to talk to people, they tend to ignore me. They stop talking as soon as I enter the scene. It's like I'm ruining everyone else's conversations. All I'm doing is trying to socialize with everyone. Trying to get on everyone's good side in order to stop any murders. But it's all useless. One time I tried to join the group that Nori, Yemon, Renora, and Chiyo were a part of, and I got yelled at by Renora. She said that people like me ruin our conversations with each other."

Oh, so Tetsu's not the only person that Renora bullies. That's not very good.

Sashi: "Hey, at least I'm your friend. We've been talking a lot lately. So, it's not like everyone is ignoring or insulting you."

Fudoki: "Yeah, but only you. I want to be friends with everyone, not just you. I felt like Kando was the only student I actually formed a significant bond with, and he's dead."

Sashi: "How about I form a friend group that you can be a part of? If anybody tries to insult or ignore you, I'll give them a piece of my mind."

Fudoki: "Thanks for the proposal, but I think I'm better off just staying away from everyone. There's no point in a nerd like me trying to have a legitimate conversation. I hate this killing game, and nothing I can do will stop it. Even if I try to help, a murder is going to happen. I just wish I could take myself out of this murder school before any more killings occur."

Sashi: "Don't talk like that. I'm sure we can escape this school one day. So, don't worry so much."

Fudoki: "That's just wishful thinking. I think I'm going back to my room now. Don't talk to me. I don't want anybody's company right now."

Fudoki soon left Naeko's lab, leaving me and Tetsu by ourselves.

Sashi: "Why is Fudoki in such a bad mood all of a sudden? He seemed fine up until now. I guess he was just hiding his true feelings. I hope he's alright."

Tetsu: "He will probably be fine tomorrow. So, don't worry about him."

Sashi: "I guess."

Tetsu: "Can I head back to my room now? We already finished up, so..."

Sashi: "You don't want to talk some more Tetsu?"

Tetsu: "Maybe later. I'm not very good at small talk."

Sashi: "Bye Tetsu."

Tetsu gave a slight wave before leaving Naeko's lab. Soon after, I also left his lab and walked back to my dorm room. Just like always, the nighttime announcement came.

Monokuma: "Attention, everyone. It is now 10:00 P.M. As such, it is officially nighttime. Remember that you cannot go to the gym nor the dining hall at night. Murders also cannot be committed during this time, so please wait until the next morning to start killing. Now then, goodnight everyone."

After the announcement, I laid on my bed. Despite Tetsu telling me not to worry about, I still couldn't stop thinking about Fudoki. I hope he's in a better mood tomorrow. But I guess I should just sleep for now.

................

Monokuma: "Good morning everyone. If you heard this announcement, that means that is 7:00 A.M and nighttime is officially over. The dining hall and gym will now be open, and you're free to kill as much as you want. Get ready for another beautiful day in your killing school semester."

It's morning, which means it's time to head to the dining hall. After I got ready, I headed out of my dorm room and walked over to the cafeteria. However, when I got there, a few people were still not there. Naeko, Tetsu, Nori, Fudoki, and Renora were all absent. I guess I'm just early. But what's most surprising is that Chimon came today.

Yemon: "Good morning Sashi. It seems that you didn't arrive last today, unlike every other day."

Sashi: "I guess some people take a long time to get ready. By the way, why is Chimon here?"

Chimon: "Is there a problem with me being here?"

Emnei: "Well you never came to the meetings up until now."

Chimon: "I'm just making sure nobody is dead today. I figured I should at least come to check up on everyone."

Chiyo: "It seems you're making progress Chimon. You don't seem as antisocial as before."

Chimon: "If you really think so. Don't think I'm turning a new leaf, however. I'm still going to keep an eye on everyone. I'm not going to get betrayed that easily."

Yemon: "It's nice to have you here at least. Now we know that you're still alive."

Naeko suddenly stormed into the cafeteria. It seemed he had just arrived for the meeting.

Naeko: "Good morning fellow mortals."

Renjiro: "You arrived later than usual Naeko. What were you doing?"

Naeko: "Why is it any of your business what the Ultimate Mad Scientist is doing? I might have been doing an evil experiment for all you know. In that case, it's better that you know nothing!"

Emnei: "If you say so."

Soon after, Nori and Tetsu arrived at the dining hall.

Nori: "Sorry I'm late everyone. I know I usually arrive much earlier in order to cook breakfast, but I was busy talking to Tetsu. I didn't think our conversation would last this long. But the good news is that I finally got Tetsu to speak to me! Isn't that right Tetsu!?"

Tetsu: "......."

Nori: "She's just being shy right now due to all the people here. When we were by ourselves, she was chatting up a storm."

Sashi: "Tetsu was talking to me as well. It feels like the more days that pass by in this school, the more Tetsu talks to us."

Nori: "Well, I guess I should start cooking. You are all probably pretty hungry."

Yemon: "Hold on. Renora and Fudoki still aren't here. Let's wait for them first."

Nori: "Oh. I didn't even notice they were gone. Since these meetings are primarily for making sure everyone is still alive, we should wait for them first."

We waited and waited for them to come. However, no matter how much we waited, they never arrived. Suddenly a feeling of dread over come me. It was the feeling I knew all too well. It was a feeling of intense worry and anxiousness.

Sashi: "Oh no! This is not good! We need to search for them right now! It's simply unnatural for them to be gone for this long, especially since they have always arrived beforehand."

Yemon: "Let's split up and start searching everywhere! Then let's return to the dining hall in about 40 minutes!"

We instantly dashed out of the dining hall. We then split up and started searching every location in the school. Me and Emnei decided to search every last corner of the gym, but he was nowhere to be seen. Afterwards, we headed back to the dining hall. But only Renora came back.

Akina: "I found Renora. She was still in her room for some reason."

Renora: "Sorry. My makeup would simply not cooperate with me this morning."

Gyo Shin: "Wait, Fudoki's still gone. Where is he? I thought we searched everyone."

Chimon: "I think I might have an idea of where he might be. See, I was searching the warehouse, but for some reason, the door to the storeroom was locked. I couldn't get it open no matter how much I tried. So, I decided to come back in order to get some help."

Renjiro: "Fudoki might be trapped in there! Don't worry, I can probably punch a hole in the door! Let's go over there right now!"

We all ran out of the dining hall and went to the warehouse. Renjiro tried fiddling with the storeroom doorknob, but sure enough, it was locked.

Renjiro: "Yep. It's locked tight. Guess it's time for me to put my massive muscles to use."

Renjiro held his fist back before slamming it into the door as hard is he could. Instantly, a hole formed through the door. Renjiro took his hand inside and unlocked the doorknob on the other end. But when we all opened the door, an unexpected surprise came to our vision. Inside was Fudoki laying on the floor with his eyes closed. He had no external wounds besides a mild head injury, but there was no doubt he was dead. Instantly, a sense of fear crawled all over my body. There was no doubt, Fudoki was murdered.

Ding dong, dong ding.

Monokuma: "A body has been discovered! Now then, after a certain amount of time has passed, the class trial will begin!"

Sashi: "What......No. No!"

Nori: "Why did this happen? I thought we were done with murders."

Chiyo: "EEEEEEEEEEEKKKK!!!"

Yemon: "Why Fudoki!? Why did he have to die!? Of all people, why him!?"

Akina: "Does this mean we have to yet another class trial!?"

Chimon: "Yes. A dead body means we have to do a class trial."

Chiyo: "I don't want to do another class trial! I don't want any part of this!"

Chiyo instantly dashed out of the storeroom with tears in her eyes.

Sashi: "Wait Chiyo! You have to investigate with us!"

But Chiyo was already long gone. My words were meaningless.

Nori: "This is how she acted after the first class trial. That's why she never showed up to the cafeteria that day. She was crying in her room."

Normally Chiyo is very optimistic and cheerful. But when it comes to the deaths of other students, she completely loses it. Which is very understandable considering the situation.

Gyo Shin: "Hahaha. Hahahaha! AHAHAHAHA!!!"

Instantly, Gyo Shin's maniacal laughter shocked everyone in the room.

Doryo: "What the hell is wrong with you, you crazy bitch!?"

Emnei: "Are you okay Gyo Shin?"

Gyo Shin: "I just thought of the perfect joke for a time like this."

Renjiro: "Seriously!? Somebody just died! This is not the time for jokes!"

Gyo Shin: "But once I say it, you'll all die of laughter! But you're probably right. After all, speaking badly of the dead is a grave mistake!"

Sashi: "Really, Gyo Shin!? One of the students just died and you're out here making death puns! Have some goddamn sensitivity!"

Yemon: "What the hell is wrong with you, Gyo Shin!?"

Gyo Shin: "I'm sorry. Corpses aren't funny, they're dead serious."

Renora: "Is it just me or did Gyo Shin lose her goddamn mind?"

Naeko: "This foul beast is even more evil than the Ultimate Mad Scientist!"

Emnei: "Do you really think that's funny Gyo Shin!? Because it's fucking not! It's sick!"

Gyo Shin: "Calm down everyone! I was just trying to lighten the heavy mood with a little humor!"

Akina: "Well no one wants to hear your goddamn jokes, so just shut the hell up!"

Sashi: "I think Gyo Shin has just snapped or something. She was always telling off-color jokes, but never to this extent. Something has really changed you, Gyo Shin."

Emnei: "Everyone. Let's just ignore Gyo Shin for now. Because right now, we need to investigate."

Nori: "I'm going to go check on Chiyo. You guys feel free to investigate while I'm gone."

Yemon: "Speaking of. Sashi, do you want to investigate with me?"

Sashi: "I was already planning on investigating with Emnei again. I guess we can all investigate together then."

Emnei: "Sorry Sashi, but I would rather investigate by myself today."

Sashi: "Huh? Why?"

Emnei: "I just need some space. That's all."

Sashi: "Okay. That's perfectly fine. I guess I'm investigating with you after all Yemon."

Monopup: "Wait, are you all planning to investigate already? I haven't even passed the Monokuma File yet."

Yemon: "Oh yeah. I almost forgot about that."

Monopup: "Well here's the Monokuma File."

Monopup passed around the Monokuma Files to each of the students.

Monopup: "I'm guessing you guys don't want me hanging around for too long. I don't want to interrupt any of your investigations, so I'm leaving now. Good luck with your investigations!"

Monopup left the scene just as fast as he entered.

Sashi: "I guess it's now time to investigate for real."

I can't back down now. If I was able to investigate last time, then I can certainly do it this time. In order to find the truth, I need to gather all info I possibly can.

INVESTIGATION START

Yemon: "Alright. Let's check the Monokuma File."

I tapped the Monokuma File and it read the following: "The victim's name is Fudoki Sasaki, the Ultimate Marching Band Leader. The victim's body was found in the storeroom next to the warehouse. The time of death is 8:45 AM. The cause of death was poisoning. The victim has also suffered from a mild blow to the head."

Sashi: "Wait, poisoning is the cause of death? That's unusual, because yesterday me, Tetsu, and Fudoki all removed the labels for any poisons in Naeko's lab. In that case, how did the culprit access the poison? Did they just grab an unlabeled bottle randomly?"

Yemon: "Or it's possible they already knew what was inside the bottle."

Already knew what's inside the bottle? Is that even possible? Anyways, this is very important information, so I should write it down.

MONOKUMA FILE 2 ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Sashi: "Well now that the Monokuma File is out of the way, we're now free to investigate the storeroom. Surely there must be at least some clues left behind."

Yemon: "Looks like I found one. That didn't take long."

Yemon pointed to a mysterious rope that was laying on the storeroom floor.

Sashi: "A rope? What is this doing here?"

Yemon: "Something like this being here is simply unnatural no matter how you look at it. There's no doubt this is a clue. Especially since it likely came from the warehouse next door."

Sashi: "I don't doubt the fact that this is a clue. I'm just wondering why on Earth did the killer need a rope of all things."

Yemon: "I'm not sure either. But what's particularly noteworthy about this rope is that it's pretty short. It looks roughly only five feet in length. Why is the rope so short?"

Sashi: "You think the culprit got a rope of this length on purpose?"

Yemon: "I guess that's another mystery for you to solve."

While I'm still not entirely sure what the rope was used for, there's no doubt that this a clue. I should definitely take note of this.

ROPE ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

I took another look around the room, trying to search for any possible leads. When I looked near the storeroom door, I saw something interesting. To the left of the storeroom door was a mysterious nail jammed into the wall. But the nail was still sticking out, so it wasn't completely pushed into the wall.

Sashi: "I don't remember a nail being here when I first came to this storeroom."

Yemon: "Then it must be a clue. The culprit must have placed a nail there on purpose."

But why did the killer place a nail here? And why next to the door of all places? Why was it only slightly pushed in? There are too many mysteries about this nail for it to be unimportant to the case at hand.

NAIL ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Sashi: "What we should also keep in mind is that the door was locked before we came in."

Yemon: "Yeah. My guess is that the culprit locked the door from the inside."

Sashi: "That's probably the most likely answer. The lock is just a simple button. All you do is press it, and the door locks. And there doesn't seem to be anything suspicious about the door in question, so the culprit probably just pushed the button from inside the storeroom in order to lock it."

Yemon: "But everyone was with us when Renjiro busted down the door. In that case, how did the culprit escape after locking the door?"

How did the culprit escape the storeroom? That's the important question, isn't it? Anyhow, I should definitely keep this in mind.

STOREROOM DOOR ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

After examining the storeroom door, I decided to investigate the body. Unfortunately, there was nothing on the body at hand. However, right next to the body was a mysterious bottle.

Sashi: "Huh? This bottle is empty."

Yemon: "I guess the bottle must have already been used then. Wait, I think I see something. While the bottle is definitely empty, I think I see some traces of a liquid inside."

Sashi: "Liquid? Is this a bottle of poison then? Because the victim was poisoned to death, so it would make sense for the bottle nearby to have poison in it."

Yemon: "I can't tell, because there's no label on the container."

Sashi: "Oh! This definitely came from Naeko's lab then. It must be one of the poisons in there that got its label removed."

Yemon: "Or it could just be a regular bottle."

Sashi: "I don't think so. The type of bottle it is matches with all the other containers in Naeko's lab."

Yemon: "But if the bottle has no label, then how did the culprit know what was inside? If they even knew what was inside in the first place."

Sashi: "I don't know. But I need to get more info about this container in question. I should ask Naeko later about what's inside this container. He might be able to do an analysis or something."

But even if I can't get any specific information currently, I should still keep this in mind.

EMPTY BOTTLE ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

After looking at the empty bottle, I decided to take a look through the trash bin nearby. Sure enough, I found something of interest. Inside was a glass flask, except it was shattered to pieces. But just like the empty bottle, there was a small trace of liquid on the pieces.

Sashi: "This also looks like it came from Naeko's lab. Where else would a glass flask be except for in the Ultimate Chemical Scientist's lab?"

Yemon: "Looks like Naeko is starting to become a real big suspect here."

Sashi: "Hold on. Let's not make any assumptions. Remember that anyone could have entered his lab, not just Naeko."

Yemon: "I know. I'm just telling you in case you run out of leads. If the evidence doesn't tell you anything, you can always try just looking at the suspects and see where that leads."

There's no doubt that Naeko is suspicious, but is he really the culprit? I don't know, it just feels too easy. But one thing's for sure, this glass flask is definitely a clue. I could get Naeko to give a more detailed analysis of this later, but for now I should just write down what I know.

BROKEN FLASK ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Yemon: "Hey Sashi."

Sashi: "Did you find something Yemon?"

Yemon: "I've been taking a look around the storeroom, and there's something caught my eye. Doesn't the storeroom seem a bit messy to you?"

Sashi: "Now that you mention it, all the boxes that are used for storing supplies are scattered all over the place. Normally they are neatly stacked on top of each other. Why is that the case I wonder?"

Yemon: "I think I've got an idea! Maybe Fudoki and the culprit struggled in here, which caused the boxes to fall over!"

Sashi: "That's definitely a possibility."

The fact that the boxes are scattered all over the floor is definitely not a coincidence. But why did they get scattered in the first place? Was it really because of a struggle? Or was it some other reason?"

SCATTERED BOXES ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Sashi: "Yemon. I've just know noticed, but doesn't this floor feel a bit wet to you?"

Yemon: "Now that you mention, it does seem a bit wet. It feels like it was dried with a towel, but not to the point where it's 100% dry."

Sashi: "Not to mention, it feels slightly sticky. There's a storage closet in this storeroom that contains all kinds of cleaning equipment. You think the culprit mopped up this floor, and that's why it feels like this?"

Yemon: "I can't think of anything else. Wait, I got it! Maybe the culprit was trying to mop up bloodstains on the floor!"

Sashi: "I don't know about that. The only external injury Fudoki suffered from was a mild injury to the head. In that case, only a few drops of blood would touch the floor at most. You could just as easily just soak up the blood with a paper towel."

Yemon: "Then why did the culprit bother using soap and water?"

Why did the culprit soak the floor with soapy water? Was it to hide traces of something? Something about this definitely seems important.

SCRUBBED FLOOR ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Yemon: "I think we've investigated just about everything there is to see in the storeroom."

Sashi: "In that case, let's try talking to everyone in order to gather any information we can."

Yemon: "Sounds good."

Speaking of, Nori just stormed into the storeroom. I need to talk to her about something.

Renora: "Where's Chiyo, Nori?"

Nori: "She's in her room right now. I figured she should just try to calm down first before trying to investigate. So nobody bother her, alright?"

Akina: "Pffft. What a pussy ass bitch. Even for a woman, she's one hell of a coward."

Nori: "Are comments like that really necessary Akina?"

Akina: "Yes."

Sashi: "Nori? You said you were talking to Tetsu in the library, correct? In that case, how long were you two gone?"

Nori: "I would say that me and Tetsu were in the library from 7:55 AM to 8:50 AM."

Yemon: "Wait, didn't Fudoki die at 8:45 AM? In that case, Tetsu and Nori both have alibis."

Sashi: "Congrats Nori, you and Tetsu have already been proven innocent."

Nori: "Huh? Already? Well that's good, I guess. Not like I would ever murder someone anyways. Nor would Tetsu."

Sashi: "Thanks for the information, Nori. It was very helpful."

Nori: "No problem. I'm always down to help a friend.

Tetsu and Nori both have alibis. This is extremely important information. That narrows down the suspects a little bit.

NORI'S ACCOUNT ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Sashi: "Hey Gyo Shin. Are you done making tasteless jokes?"

Gyo Shin: "I guess. Nobody wants to hear them anyways."

Yemon: "We were wondering if you knew anything about the case in hand."

Gyo Shin: "Actually I do. It's something only I know."

Sashi: "Really? Do tell."

Gyo Shin: "This morning, I was just wandering about the school, contemplating my entire existence and will to live. You know, the usual."

I honestly can't tell if Gyo Shin is just joking or she is actually serious. She has been acting rather unusual lately, so this wouldn't be too far-fetched for her.

Gyo Shin: "While I was walking around the school, I decided to walk inside this building. You know, the one with the warehouse and library inside. As I was pacing in the halls, I noticed Fudoki heading towards the warehouse. He seemed like he was in a hurry, so I asked him what was wrong.

FLASHBACK

Gyo Shin: "What are you doing Fudoki? Why are you heading to the warehouse?"

Fudoki: "Um, no reason in particular. Just taking a nice morning stroll. You know."

Gyo Shin: "Fudoki, I can totally tell you're lying. Don't even try to hide it. Also, why are you in such a hurry? Do you need something?"

Fudoki: "I just need to get something from the warehouse really quick."

Gyo Shin: "What thing? You're being really vague. It's sort of suspicious."

Fudoki: "I'm not suspicious! Why is it any of your business what I'm doing anyways!?"

Gyo Shin: "You got me there. It really isn't any of my business. Besides, I can tell you don't want to discuss the matter. Just don't do anything stupid, okay."

Fudoki: "I won't."

But just as Fudoki was about to head inside the warehouse, I noticed something bulging out of his pocket. I couldn't tell what it was, but it intrigued me, nonetheless. So, I tried to press Fudoki on the issue.

Gyo Shin: "What's that in your pocket Fudoki?"

Fudoki: "N-Nothing."

Fudoki instantly put his hand in front of his pocket in an attempt to hide what he was holding. He had a very suspicious reaction and suddenly dashed inside the warehouse. That's when I knew something was up.

FLASHBACK END

Gyo Shin: "And that's about it."

Sashi: "When did this occur?"

Gyo Shin: "I would say it happened about roughly 7:30 AM."

Yemon: "That's 75 minutes before he died! And he entered the warehouse, the scene of the crime! This is very important information right here!

Sashi: "That was very helpful Gyo Shin. Thanks."

Like Yemon said, this was almost an hour before he died, and likely the last time anybody other than the culprit saw Fudoki before his death. He also entered the scene of the crime during this time. The question is, why did it take so long for him to be killed? Was the culprit already waiting inside the warehouse? Also, what was Fudoki hiding in his pocket? Why was he acting so suspiciously? The answer to all these questions is almost certainly crucial to figuring out this case.

GYO SHIN'S ACCOUNT ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Sashi: "Chimon?"

Chimon: "Yes?"

Sashi: "I was wondering. Since you really helped us all the last class trial, I was wondering if you also know anything this time. Like anything that could help solve the case."

Chimon: "Well open your earholes, because I got some info for ya."

Yemon: "We're listening."

Chimon: "You know how after we noticed that Fudoki was still missing, we all split up and started searching the school? Well I decided to investigate the warehouse."

Yemon: "Wait. The warehouse is the scene of the crime! You're really making yourself look suspicious, you know!"

Chimon: "Well in my defense, I would say that not telling where you were searching is more suspicious. Anyways, while I headed inside the building, I noticed that Naeko headed inside the library. When I asked him what he was doing, he said that he was investigating the library. Also, I saw Renjiro walk around the hallway. He said he was just walking around, searching random places. But I entered the warehouse immediately afterwards, so I didn't really see what he was doing."

Sashi: "So you know where Naeko and Renjiro were searching. Is that all you have to say?"

Chimon: "No, there's still more. When I went inside the warehouse, I noticed that it was completely pitch black. So, I left the warehouse. But after about ten minutes, I went back inside the warehouse, where behold, the lights were on once again as if nothing had happened. That's when I noticed the locked storeroom door."

Yemon: "So a blackout happened. You think it was just a malfunction, or completely intentional?"

Chimon: "Likely intentional. There's a breaker in the hallway that can be easily accessed, so one can tamper with the lights at a moment's notice. What I'm curious about is why did they turn the lights back on? And why were they off in the first place?"

Sashi: "That's what we need to figure out. That was so very helpful info Chimon. Thank you for being so helpful."

Chimon: "Whatever. I'm just trying to survive here."

Why was Renjiro searching the hallway and why was Naeko searching the library? Is it just a coincidence? It's also rather suspicious that Chimon was searching the warehouse. But if he's telling the truth about the blackout, then that definitely seems important. I highly doubt that the blackout was an accident. It had to be intentional. But for what reason?

SPLIT SEARCH ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

CHIMON'S ACCOUNT ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Before I forget, I need to check up with Naeko. I really need him to figure out what's inside the empty bottle and broken flask. So, I grabbed the empty bottle and gathered up all the glass shards before walking over to Naeko.

Sashi: "Naeko, I was wondering if you could do something for me."

Naeko: "Pfft. What does a common plebian want with an evil scientist like me?"

Sashi: "Can you please take a look at this bottle and flask? Or at least what was left of the flask."

Naeko: "There's no doubt. These definitely came from my lab."

Yemon: "Yeah. We kind of figured that out already."

Then Naeko started sniffing and examining the chemicals.

Sashi: "Is it really okay for you to start sniffing chemicals? I thought you were the Ultimate Chemical Scientist. Wouldn't you know better?"

Naeko: "Pffft. It's totally ludicrous how much knowledge you fools lack. I have been around dangerous chemical weapons like this for so long, that I have built up an immunity to it!"

Sashi: "Do you honestly expect me to believe that? Please don't do that. It's dangerous."

Naeko: "Ugh. I guess I have to put my evil scientific language into layman's terms so you plebeians can understand what I'm saying. Basically, you don't have to worry. There is not enough liquid to be of any danger."

Yemon: "Do you know what kind of liquids these are?"

Naeko: "I would not be the Ultimate Mad Scientist if I couldn't recognize a chemical with a single glance and sniff. First, I will start with the empty bottle. That's troquil poison."

Sashi: "Troquil poison? What kind of fantasy poison is that? I never heard of anything like that in my entire life."

Naeko: "That's to be expected. You are nothing but a commoner, knowing nothing about the most advanced of chemical weapons."

Yemon: "Is there anything you can say about troquil poison?"

Naeko: "Troquil is very unique in that it causes instant death. Even the most lethal of poisons tend to take a while before coming into effect. Out of all the poisons in my lab, this is probably the only drinkable poison that causes instant death."

Sashi: "Drinkable?"

Naeko: "This poison can only enter your body through the mouth. It cannot be turned into gas and sniffed through the nose. So, in order to take this poison, you need to drink it."

Yemon: "Wow Naeko! I never knew you were so knowledgeable! You're truly a genius!"

Naeko: "Thanks mortal."

Sashi: "What about the glass flask? It's been shattered to pieces, but I can definitely see traces of liquid on the glass."

Naeko: "That's toxigaseous poisoning. It gets its name because it cannot be consumed. Instead, the liquid turns into a gas as soon as it hits the floor. That's because the container keeps the liquid at a certain temperature. As soon as the liquid feels room temperature, it evaporates. Notice how I said that troquil poison is the only drinkable poison that causes instant death. Well toxigaseous poison is the only toxic gas that causes instant death when sniffed. It's sort of the opposite of troquil in a way."

Sashi: "Is that all?"

Naeko: "Pretty much."

Yemon: "Thanks Naeko. That was very insightful."

This is important information to keep in mind. Both of these poisons cause instant death and can only be consumed in certain states of matter. What I'm wondering is why there is two different poisons at the scene if only one killed Fudoki.

EMPTY BOTTLE UPDATED IN TRUTH BULLETS

BROKEN FLASK UPDATED IN TRUTH BULLETS

I tried talking to everyone else at the scene, but none of them seemed to know anything about the case at hand. In that case, I should talk with Yemon about what he knows. Since he is usually one of the first people to arrive at the dining hall, I want to see if he knows who came to the cafeteria and what times.

Sashi: "Yemon. I was wondering about something. When you arrived at the cafeteria, was there anybody there?"

Yemon: "No. I was the first person there. I'm an early morning bird, so I'm always awake before everyone else."

Sashi: "In that case, when did everyone else arrive?"

Yemon: "Most people arrived around fifteen minutes after I came to the cafeteria. So around 7:45 AM. Chimon then entered at 7:55 AM. You then came at 8:00 AM. Naeko then came at 8:35 AM. Finally, Nori and Tetsu arrived at 8:55 AM. And of course, Renora never arrived at the cafeteria until after the split search began."

Sashi: "But the crime occurred at 8:45 AM, and everyone except Renora arrived beforehand. Besides Tetsu and Nori of course, but they also have alibis."

Yemon: "Wow! I didn't know the crime would be solved that easily! But by the looks of it, Renora is the only suspect."

Renora is the only suspect? When it comes to our alibis, she seems like the only possibility. But for some reason I feel that the answer isn't as obvious as it seems. Fudoki was the most obvious culprit the last class trial, and he turned out to be innocent. But it's certainly important to know everyone's alibis.

DINING HALL MEETING ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Yemon: "Well it seems like we talked to everyone here and examined all the clues, so should we start looking somewhere else?"

Sashi: "Hold on. You see that vent right above there. I was hoping you could give me a lift. I want to see if it's possible to crawl through it."

Yemon: "Whoa. Who do you think I am? I'm not going to pick a girl up. That's weird."

Sashi: "What's so unusual about that? Besides, it's something I want you to do. All I'm trying to do is reach the vent. So please lift me up."

Yemon: "If you really insist. I still think it's weird though."

Yemon picked up me by the stomach and put me over his shoulders. From Yemon's height, I was easily able to reach the vent and crawl inside.

Sashi: "Yep. It looks like you can fit inside here just fine. It's rather wide, so I'm pretty sure any of the students could crawl through here."

Yemon: "Where does it lead?"

Sashi: "That's what I'm about to check silly."

I slowly but surely crawled through the vent. What's unusual is that the vent seemed to be sloping upward, which means I had to climb as I crawled. As I crawled through, I reached a fork in the vent. It looked like I could either turn left or keep going forward. I decided to go left, and once I did, it seemed like I reached an exit. When I peaked my head out, I noticed that I was in the hallway between the warehouse and library. But what was unusual is that there was, yet another nail mysteriously placed near the exit of the vent.

Sashi: "Another nail? This has to be intentional. But what does it mean?"

Two nails appearing in two different places that happen to be connected by the same vent. This can't be a coincidence. Just like the last nail, it was only pushed in slightly, leaving the nail hanging outward. This is pretty significant information.

NAILS UPDATED IN TRUTH BULLETS

I took another look around the hallway when I noticed something very mysterious. Right below the vent was an extension cord. It likely came from the warehouse, but why is it the hallway of all places? This has to be important in some way.

EXTENSION CORD ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Sashi: "This vent is pretty high up. Likely around 20 feet above the ground. I probably shouldn't jump off the vent if I don't want to injure myself."

After examining the hallway, I decided to turn around and crawl through the vent once again. When I hit the fork once again, I decided to turn left this time. As I crawled left, I noticed that the vent sloped downward. Once I climbed down the vent, I reached another exit. This time I was at the library.

Sashi: "This time the vent is only about ten feet above the ground, around the same height as in the storeroom. But I still don't want to hurt myself, so I should probably head back now."

I turned around and crawled through the vent until I reached the storeroom once again.

Sashi: "Hey Yemon. Can you lift me back down?"

Yemon picked me up and put me back on the ground.

Yemon: "Did you find anything?"

Sashi: "Yep. The vent connects to both the library and the hallway. But both exits are too high up for you to jump off of. So, unless you have something to climb back down with, you can't use the exits."

Yemon: "That's interesting. I'm wondering if the culprit ever traveled through these vents."

Did the culprit travel through these vents? In that case, where did they enter the vent? Where did they leave the vent? What did they use to reach the ground and vents? It seems like every clue gives more questions than answers.

VENT ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Sashi: "Well, it seems like it's finally time to search a different area. In that case, we should look through the library and warehouse since they are right next door."

Yemon: "Sounds good to me."

Me and Yemon left the storeroom and started searching the warehouse. Since the warehouse was so big and full, it took a long time to investigate it. But I managed to find something interesting. A baseball bat that came from the warehouse was mysterious wet. It was as if it had been scrubbed down.

Sashi: "Look at this bat."

Yemon: "Hey, it's wet. Maybe there was blood on it, and the culprit tried to dispose of the evidence."

Sashi: "That seems the most likely answer."

But if there was blood on this bat, does that mean the weapon that caused Fudoki's head injury was this?

BASEBALL BAT ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Yemon: "Would you look at that?"

Sash: "Huh?"

Yemon: "Just like the bat and the storeroom floor, a part of the warehouse floor has been scrubbed clean. Maybe because there was also blood on it."

Both the warehouse and storeroom floor were scrubbed, that's definitely info I should write down.

SCRUBBED FLOOR UPDATED IN TRUTH BULLETS

Sashi: "Well it looks like we finished investigating the warehouse, so let's search the library now."

Me and Yemon left the warehouse and entered the library, where we started investigating.

Sashi: "I looked through this entire library, but it seems I was only able to find a single clue."

Yemon: "What is it?"

Sashi: "The stepladder in this library is remarkably dusty."

Yemon: "What's so unusual about that? This library probably hasn't been used in years."

Sashi: "Except for some footprints on the steps."

Yemon: "Oh. Does that mean that somebody climbed this ladder?"

Sashi: "It seems so."

Yemon: "The ladder seems to be about nine feet in height."

Somebody climbed this stepladder, but for what reason? Were they trying to reach something?

STEPLADDER ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Sashi: "I guess that's it for the library."

Yemon: "What now?"

Sashi: "We could search Naeko's lab, since both of the poisons came from there."

Yemon: "Sounds good."

We walked out of the building and headed inside Naeko's lab, where we started examining the shelfs. On the shelf, I noticed a couple of things. First of all, there was 20 types of poisons listed on the list of chemicals next to the shelf. However, there were only 19 poisons on the shelf, which means one of the poisons was removed. Second of all, a mercury bottle was also missing from the shelf.

Yemon: "Why would the culprit remove a mercury bottle? While mercury is used in making poisons, it is lethal enough just by itself."

Sashi: "Maybe the culprit was crafting a poison from scratch."

Finally, the container for vaproquine had a small amount missing. I don't know why the culprit removed these chemicals, but they have to be important somehow. Because the shelfs were full last night when we all removed the labels, and I highly doubt Naeko used these in one of his experiments. I'm pretty sure he would tell us if he did a midnight experiment. This means that these materials were definitely a part of the culprit's plans.

CHEMISTRY LAB SHELF ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Me and Yemon began to search all the drawers and desks in Naeko's lab. Inside a few of the drawers were chemical equipment. Not too unusual, except some of the equipment was wet. This wet equipment included a test tube, graduated cylinder, and beaker.

Sashi: "For these chemical tools to be this wet, they had to have been used recently. The culprit must have washed these after using them."

Yemon: "That proves that the culprit likely did some kind of experiment in Naeko's lab."

A test tube, graduated cylinder, and beaker. What were they all used for? How were they used? In order to figure out these questions, I should definitely write this info down.

USED LAB EQUIPMENT ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Yemon: "Is there anything else to note in Naeko's lab?"

Sashi: "I don't know if this is really a clue, but one of the chemistry textbooks is flipped the wrong way compared to the rest of the textbooks. The title faces forward instead of backwards if that makes any sense."

Yemon: "Maybe you should just skim through the textbook. If you don't find anything, then it's probably just a dumb mistake."

Sashi: "I guess I should, just in case."

I skimmed through the textbook until I noticed something suspicious. On one of the pages was a stain from what looked to be some kind of chemical.

Sashi: "Looks like someone accidentally spilled something on this page."

Yemon: "If something was spilled on this page, that means that they were reading it! What's on the page?"

Sashi: "Oh! This specific page tells you had to make toxigaseous poisoning!"

Yemon: "That's the poison that was found on the glass flask. If so, this is definitely important info. How do you make it?"

Sashi: "According to this textbook, you need to mix 500 milliliters of mercury and 50 heated milliliters of vaproquine together."

So, was the culprit following these instructions? Is that why they accidentally spilled some chemical on the page? This definitely isn't a coincidence. This is crucial evidence.

CHEMISTRY TEXTBOOK ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Ding dong, bing bong

An announcement suddenly came from the monitor.

Monokuma: "Um. I'm getting kind of tired of waiting, so let's just get started. Head to the Monokuma statue in the middle of the park. Is everyone ready to start the second class trial? Puhuhuhu. I hope you're excited, because I sure am."

Sashi: "Good thing I'm pretty sure we've already investigated everything, because otherwise the class trial would be harder to piece together."

Yemon: "Are you ready Sashi?"

Sashi: "I'm a bit nervous, but I think I'm ready. If I did this once, I could do it again!"

Yemon: "That's the spirit! Come on, let's head to the park!"

Nervously, I began to walk over to the park with Yemon. We headed to the Monokuma Statue where everyone else seemed to be gathered. But Chiyo still seemed to be crying. It seemed like she really didn't want to participate in another class trial.

Sashi: "Are you worried about the class trial Chiyo?"

Chiyo: "I-I don't want to t-this anymore. I-I just want to g-go home already."

Nori: "I'm sure we'll be able to escape eventually, so don't worry. But for now, we just need to get through this class trial, okay?"

Yemon: "You already made it through the last class trial. What makes you think you won't be able to make it this time?"

Chiyo: "I-I don't know a-anything about this case though. B-Because I was crying in my r-room the whole time."

Emnei: "Don't worry Chiyo. We'll solve the case for you."

Chiyo: "O-Okay."

While still sad, Chiyo seemed to have cheered up a little after hearing everyone's encouraging words.

Sashi: "Hey Emnei. Are you ready to do another class trial?"

Emnei: "Absolutely. From now on, I'm not going to cower in fear anymore. I'm going to try my hardest to find the culprit."

Sashi: "You've really changed Emnei. Before I had to practically drag you to the class trial."

Emnei: "Yeah. But that's the past and this is the future. Did that sound lame? I was just trying to sound motivated."

Sashi: "No, it was very inspiring."

It was pretty lame.

Renjiro: "It seems like everyone is ready. I guess we just have to wait for the statue to open up once again."

We waited until once again, the Monokuma statue started shaking. Then a door opened up and inside was the elevator. The elevator that lead to the trial grounds. We all quickly ran inside the elevator. As soon as we all got inside, the elevator started to drop. As the elevator dropped, I started to get more and more nervous. I don't know if it was because they were two less people than before, but the elevator seemed more open than last time, which just made me even more nervous. Just when I thought the anxiousness was about to end, the elevator stopped and the door opened, leading to the trial grounds.

Monokuma: "Hello everyone once again. Please stand next to your assigned podiums."

We all stood in our assigned podiums, facing each other in an open circle. We were all ready to start another class trial. Fudoki Sasaki, the Ultimate Marching Band Leader. He was very socially awkward and could be quite rude and selfish at times, unintentionally or not. But deep down, he had a good heart. His good heart was what motivated him to try to change. He wanted to cooperate and survive with the rest of the students. But that wish was soon tarnished when he was brutally murdered. And the killer, is once again one of us. Who murdered Fudoki? Who is the blackened in this case? That's what I have to find out in this class trial. Not just for my survival, but for everyone's survival. If I don't uncover the entire truth of this incident, then I will never be able to accept Fudoki's death. Thus begins the second trial of hope and despair.

TRIAL PREPERATION

TRUTH BULLETS:

1/20 MONOKUMA FILE 2: "The victim's name is Fudoki Sasaki, the Ultimate Marching Band Leader. The victim's body was found in the storeroom next to the warehouse. The time of death is 8:45 AM. The cause of death was poisoning. The victim has also suffered from a mild blow to the head."

2/20 ROPE: A rope was found on the storeroom floor. It is approximately five feet long.

3/20 NAILS: Two nails have been pushed into the walls next to the storeroom door and the hallway vent. The nails were only pushed in slightly, so they still stick out significantly.

4/20 STOREROOM DOOR: The door to the storeroom was locked right before the body was found and had to be broken in order to get in. The door has a button lock that can only be locked from the inside. There's nothing suspicious about the door in question.

5/20 EMPTY BOTTLE: An empty bottle was found near Fudoki's body. According to Naeko, this bottle contains troquil poison. This type of poison can only be consumed through the mouth as a liquid but causes instant death.

6/20 BROKEN FLASK: A flask that has been shattered to pieces. It was found in the storeroom trash bin. According to Naeko, this flask has traces of toxigaseous poisoning. This type of poison can only be inhaled as a gas but causes instant death.

7/20: SCATTERED BOXES: The boxes in the storeroom have been scattered all over the place, rather than neatly stacked like usual.

8/20 SCRUBBED FLOOR: Both the warehouse and storeroom floors feel wet and soapy in certain areas, as if they have been scrubbed recently.

9/20 NORI'S ACCOUNT: Nori and Tetsu were talking in the library from 7:55 AM to 8:50 AM.

10/20 GYO SHIN'S ACCOUNT: Gyo Shin spotted Fudoki trying to enter the warehouse at 7:30 AM. Gyo Shin noticed something was inside Fudoki's pocket but couldn't tell what it was. When she asked Fudoki about it, he started acting nervous and quickly ran inside the warehouse. According to Gyo Shin, Fudoki was acting suspiciously and seemed to be in a hurry.

11/20 SPLIT SEARCH: When everyone noticed that Fudoki still hadn't shown up at the dining hall, they began to split up in order to search for him. According to Chimon, he searched the warehouse while Naeko searched the library. Renjiro also searched the hallway in between the warehouse and library for a brief while.

12/20 CHIMON'S ACCOUNT: When Chimon searched the warehouse, it was pitch black inside. Because of this, Chimon left the warehouse for around 10 minutes. Once Chimon entered the warehouse once again, all the lights were lit up.

13/20 DINING HALL MEETING: According to Yemon, he was the first to arrive at the dining hall, coming at 7:30 AM. A good chunk of the students then arrived at 7:45 AM. Then Chimon arrived at 7:55 AM. Next Sashi arrived at 8:00 AM. Then Naeko arrived at 8:35 AM. Finally, Tetsu and Nori arrived at 8:55 AM. Renora never arrived at the dining hall meeting until after the split search.

14/20 EXTENSION CORD: An extension cord was laying under the hallway vent between the library and warehouse.

15/20 VENT: A vent connects to the hallway, library, and storeroom. The vent reaches around 10 feet above the storeroom and library floor. In the hallway, the vent reaches around 20 feet above the hallway floor. The vent is wide enough for anyone to crawl through.

16/20 BASEBALL BAT: A baseball bat that came from the warehouse. It is slightly wet.

17/20 STEP LADDER: A step ladder found in the library. Due to dust, footprints were formed on the steps.

18/20 CHEMISTRY LAB SHELF: A container listed under deadly poisons and a bottle of mercury are missing from the chemistry lab shelf in Naeko's lab. A small amount of vaproquine is missing from its container.

19/20 USED LAB EQUIPMENT: A test tube, graduated cylinder, and beaker have all been scrubbed, as if they have been used recently.

20/20 CHEMISTRY TEXTBOOK: One of the chemistry textbooks in Naeko's lab was facing a different way than all the others. On one of the pages of the textbook is a chemical stain. This page talks about how to make toxigaseous poisoning. In order to make toxigaseous poisoning, you need to mix 500 milliliters of mercury and 50 heated milliliters of vaproquine.

CLASS TRIAL IN-SESSION

Monokuma: "Ahem! Now then, let's begin with a basic explanation of the class trial! During the trial you will all debate on who you think the culprit is, and vote for "whodunnit." Vote correctly, and only the blackened will be punished. But if you pick the wrong person, I'll punish everyone besides the blackened, and that person will have the right to graduate from this academy. Also, refusing to vote results in your death, so you better vote for someone."

Chiyo: "Do we really have to do this? I don't want to do another class trial. I'm sick of this place already. I just want to go home!"

Monokuma: "What do you mean 'go home'? This is your home now."

Chiyo: "Why haven't the police showed up yet? I just want to leave this school and go back to my original home!"

Chimon: "What happened to the girl who was always happy-go-lucky, even it the presence of serious danger. Hell, the last class trial alone you were the most cheerful one out of all of us."

Emnei: "I guess she couldn't be happy anymore after dealing with such a serious situation for so long. It's hard to stay cheerful when more and more of your friends are dying as time goes on."

Chiyo: "Can't someone just kill me already!? I'm going to die soon anyways, so can I just get it over with already! I wanna be put out of my misery already!"

Sashi: "Chiyo. I had no idea how miserable you truly were. But you shouldn't give on life just yet. We still might be able to escape somehow."

Nori: "I assure that everything is going to be okay. We'll get through this class trial, I promise."

Chiyo: "But this class trial is going to result in someone being executed even if we make the right choice. Either way one of my friends is going to die!"

Yemon: "Not to be insensitive or anything, but they chose the possibility of being executed when they killed someone. Even if we lose one friend, it's better than everyone except the killer dying. So, we have to do this no matter what."

Renora: "Who knows. The killer might just be a heartless sociopath who killed for entirely selfish reasons. In that case, you don't have to feel so bad when they are executed."

Chiyo: "Okay. I don't want to do this, but I'll try my best to participate. I'm still going to be depressed and gloomy though."

Akina: "Don't worry. That's perfectly normal in this situation. Honestly, it's more abnormal to not be depressed in this sort of affairs."

Wait, is Akina actually concerned for Chiyo? That's a surprise.

Doryo: "Are all you bitches done with your little lecture about friendship? Because we need to get this over as fast as possible."

Renjiro: "Can someone provide a topic of interest? Because I'm totally lost on where to start."

Emnei: "I guess we should start with what we already know. We should discuss where we found the body and any clues we discovered."

Chimon: "Before we start, I need to ask Tetsu a question. Are you actually going to participate this time, or are you just going to stay silent like last time?"

Tetsu: "......"

Chimon: "Looks like my question is answered. I really hope you don't have any critical information on the incident, because I'm not dying because some person decided to stay silent."

Tetsu: "I'll talk. But only if you ask me a question. I'm not comfortable with casual discussion just yet."

Renora: "Honestly, I think that's good enough for now."

Sashi: "Then I guess we should begin our first debate."

NON-STOP DEBATE START

TRUTH BULLETS:

1) BROKEN FLASK

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

. Emnei: "The body was found in the storage room..."

. Emnei: "which is right next to the warehouse."

. Naeko: "According to the Monokuma File..."

. Naeko: "the victim was poisoned to death."

. Naeko: "So we should look for any sources of poison at the scene!"

. Nori: "Didn't that empty bottle have some kind of liquid inside?"

. Nori: "Then that must be the poison that killed Fudoki."

. Nori: "*There was no other type of poison at the scene*."

. Naeko: "Based on my analysis...."

. Naeko: "the poison inside that bottle can only be consumed through the mouth."

. Gyo Shin: "Are you saying that the victim drank from the bottle?"

. Chiyo: "Then was it ^a suicide^?"

What can I gather based on the clues from the scene? I bet that piece of evidence will be able to tell us something.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sashi: "NO, THAT'S WRONG!"

BREAK

Sashi: "Sorry Nori, but that's incorrect."

Chimon: "Nori is always wrong it seems. Honestly, I think she shouldn't even say anything at all, because she's too stupid to bring up anything of value."

Nori: "At least I'm trying!"

Sashi: "Anyways, it is true that poison was found inside the empty bottle. However, the bottle wasn't the only source of poison at the scene. There was also a broken flask inside the trash bin."

Naeko: "I also analyzed that broken flask, and I can say without a doubt that there were traces of poison on the glass pieces!"

Gyo Shin: "Wow. Naeko is a lot more talkative when it comes to topics that relate to him."

Naeko: "But of course. I am the Ultimate Mad Scientist after all. So, when it comes to topics that relate to the art of evil science, I am the person who is able to provide the most info."

Akina: "But is there any proof that the broken flask is what poisoned the victim?"

Sashi: "Yes there is in fact."

Question: What proves that the victim was poisoned with the broken flask?

SELECT TRUTH BULLET

CORRECT ANSWER: SCRUBBED FLOOR

Sashi: "That's it."

Sashi: "While me and Yemon were investigating, we found something particularly interesting. The storeroom floor was slightly wet and soapy, as it had been scrubbed recently."

Yemon: "If the floor was scrubbed, then the killer must have washed it in order to hide traces of something. More specifically, traces of poison!"

Akina: "But that still doesn't prove that the glass flask in particular was used. The traces of poison could have been left the empty bottle instead."

Chimon: "But how would poison be left on the floor if it was contained in a bottle?"

Akina: "Maybe the killer was careless and accidentally spilled some on the floor? I don't fucking know."

Sashi: "No, there was no doubt that the traces of poison came from the glass flask. That's because this particular type of poison is unique. Isn't that right Naeko?"

Naeko: "This kind of poison is called intoxicide. It is unique in that it can only enter the body through the nose. While you can technically drink it, it won't be nowhere near as lethal as if it was inhaled. In fact, inhaling intoxicide causes instant death."

Doryo: "Can someone sum this shit to me already? Because all this chemistry shit is confusing the hell out of me."

Yemon: "Basically if the broken flask was used, the victim would have to inhale it through the nose. But how does one turn it into a gas? After all, it stays as a liquid inside the container."

Naeko: "If the poison reaches room temperature, it instantly evaporates. So, the poison has to be dumped out before it can be inhaled."

Sashi: "In other words, the poison would have to be dumped on the floor!"

Renora: "I see now! The poison was dumped on the floor, causing it to evaporate! Fudoki then inhaled the gas, instantly killing him! The culprit then washed the floor in order to get rid of any signs of poison!"

Chiyo: "Wait, I have a question. If the poison simply needed to be poured onto the ground, then why was it shattered to pieces?"

Akina: "I'm guessing the culprit threw it on the floor, causing it to break and pour liquid everywhere."

Chiyo: "But couldn't they just as easily have dumped it by just turning it upside-down? Why did they need to break it? If they didn't break it, they could have returned the glass flask to Naeko's lab, thus removing any signs that it was used in the murder."

Chimon: "My guess is that they tried to break it in an attempt to make it unrecognizable. They were hoping that we wouldn't realize it was a flask that came from Naeko's lab if it was shattered to pieces. But we were able to easily notice it was a flask by the shape of the glass shards. In other words, this culprit is a huge dumbass."

Gyo Shin: "But if the culprit is stupid, wouldn't that mean either Nori or Doryo is the culprit?"

Doryo: "The fuck you say to me, you little clown shithead!"

Renora: "I highly doubt Doryo is the culprit. He probably doesn't know shit about chemistry, so I don't think he would use poison as a weapon."

Sashi: "I don't think stupidity is a good way of narrowing down suspects. Everyone is smart and stupid in their own ways. Besides, this murder seems to very complex at first glance, so I don't think the killer is a dumb one."

Nori: "Wait, if the victim was poisoned using the glass flask, why was an empty bottle found at the scene? Not to mention the fact that there were traces of poison inside despite being mostly empty."

Chimon: "It was likely a diversion. The killer placed the empty bottle at the scene to make us think that was the murder weapon."

Gyo Shin: "But would it really matter where we though the poison came from? Even if we thought the poison came from the empty bottle, it wouldn't change our conclusion anyways."

Sashi: "No. The way the victim was poisoned is very important. The reason the victim wanted us to think that the victim was poisoned with the empty bottle is because it contains troquil, a poison that can only enter the body through the mouth. If you saw an empty bottle with troquil next to a dead body, what would your first thought be?"

Akina: "Well obviously I would assume it was a suicide."

Yemon: "Exactly. The killer wanted us to think it was a suicide in order for us to come to the wrong conclusion."

Renora: "Speaking of. Monokuma, what do we do if it really turns out to be a suicide?"

Monokuma: "A suicide is just like any other murder. The only difference is that the murderer is also the victim. In that case, you vote for the victim because they were technically the blackened in this case."

Renora: "I understand now. Thanks for answering my question Monokuma."

Monokuma: "No problem. That's what I'm here for."

Monopup: "Wow. You really seem to be getting along with the students, boss."

Monokuma: "That's because everyone loves me. I am just so adorable and likeable."

Actually, I'm pretty sure everyone hates you.

Renjiro: "In any case, we now know that the victim was poisoned using the glass flask. Can't we get back on topic now."

Chiyo: "Um. I have a question. Why was the victim killed in the storage room of all places? What was the victim doing in a place like that?"

Emnei: "If the victim was killed in the storage room, then he was likely nearby. But what was he even doing before he got killed?"

Renjiro: "I guess that's another topic to discuss."

NON-STOP DEBATE START

1) BASEBALL BAT

2) SCRUBBED FLOOR

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

. Chiyo: "Why was the victim killed in the storage room?"

. Chimon: "He was probably in the storage room..."

. Chimon: "before he got attacked by the culprit."

. Emnei: "But why would he be in the storage room in the first place?"

. Gyo Shin: "Maybe the killer ^asked Fudoki to come to the storage room^..."

. Gyo Shin: "in an attempt to lure him alone to the crime scene."

. Akina: "Maybe he was ^knocked unconscious^..."

. Akina: "and then moved to the storage room afterwards?"

. Naeko: "Or maybe Fudoki went to the storage room..."

. Naeko: "because he was ^looking for something^."

Why was Fudoki's body in the storage room of all places? Does it connect to what he was doing before he was killed?

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sashi: "I agree with that!"

BREAK

Sashi: "Akina's right. Fudoki was knocked out before being moved to the storeroom. In other words, Fudoki was attacked somewhere else!"

Akina: "You could easily tell just by looking at the body that Fudoki suffered from a head injury. Which is also confirmed by the Monokuma File."

Renora: "What was used to knock Fudoki out?"

Yemon: "In the warehouse there was a baseball bat. But what was unusual is that this baseball bat was slightly wet, as if it were washed with water. Why would that be other than to get rid of blood left on the baseball bat? The killer wanted to remove all signs of this being the weapon used to knock out Fudoki."

Naeko: "Okay, so we know that the victim was knocked out before being killed. But what makes you think that Fudoki was knocked out somewhere other than the storeroom? Just because he was knocked unconscious doesn't mean his body was moved."

Sashi: "That's because there's evidence that shows where Fudoki was attacked."

Question: "What shows where Fudoki was knocked out?"

SELECT TRUTH BULLET

CORRECT ANSWER: SCRUBBED FLOOR

Sashi: "That's it."

Sashi: "The warehouse floor was wet and soapy in one area, as if it was scrubbed down."

Emnei: "Just like the storeroom floor. That must mean that the killer was trying to get rid of bloodstains."

Sashi: "That proves that Fudoki was attacked in the warehouse first. After the killer knocked out Fudoki, he was moved to the storeroom. The killer then scrubbed the warehouse floor with soapy water in order to hide where he got attacked."

Yemon: "But didn't you say that wiping the floor to get rid of blood was unnecessary because there would only be a few drops of blood at most? The head injury was pretty mild, so not a lot of blood would be left on the floor. The killer could easily just have wiped off the blood with a paper towel, leaving less evidence behind."

Sashi: "It's true I did say that. But I was talking about the storeroom floor, where Fudoki was not knocked out. Thus, there would be little to no blood in the storeroom. In reality, the storeroom floor was scrubbed to hide poison rather than blood."

Chimon: "Even if the head injury is mild, it can still leave a significant amount of blood behind if the victim's head lands on the ground. Depending on where he was hit, Fudoki could have smeared the floor with his bloody head when he hit the ground after being knocked out. In that case, the killer needed more than just a paper towel to get rid of all the blood. Plus, if paper towels were used, they could have been found in the trash bin, providing crucial evidence."

Renjiro: "In other words, Fudoki was in the warehouse before he was knocked out. So, he didn't go to the storeroom of his own free will. Instead he was knocked out and moved there."

Renora: "But is it really necessary for the killer to knock Fudoki out and move him to the storeroom? Couldn't they just have killed him in the storeroom?"

Akina: "I don't think so. I think the place where Fudoki was murdered was crucial to the overall plan."

Sashi: "Now we have a better idea of what happened before Fudoki was poisoned."

Gyo Shin: "Hold on. Didn't the empty bottle and glass flask come from Naeko's lab?"

Naeko: "I can confirm that. Why do you ask?"

Gyo Shin: "Why do you ask? As if you don't even know the situation you are in."

Sashi: "What are you talking about Gyo Shin?"

Gyo Shin: "I'm talking about the fact that Naeko is the culprit!"

Naeko: "WHAATTTT!!! YOU DARE SUSPECT THE ULTIMATE MAD SCIENTIST!!!"

Emnei: "But literally anyone could have entered Naeko's lab. He's not the only suspect."

Doryo: "But if anyone knows about chemistry shit, it's this asshole."

Renjiro: "Knowing about chemistry would give you knowledge about certain types of poisons. In fact, I bet you specifically prepared these kinds of poisons. You specifically chose toxicide because it's immediately lethal and can only be breathed in through the nose."

Naeko: "It seems you all have a death wish. Do you want me to plant a chemical bomb that with blow you all up to smithereens!"

Gyo Shin: "Threatening people just makes you look even more suspicious. You're a cold-blooded killer, aren't you? Just admit it already, you delusional murderer."

Yemon: "But Naeko has an alibi. He didn't come to the dining hall until 8:35 AM. Meanwhile, the time of death, according to the Monokuma File, is 8:45 AM. He was in the cafeteria while Fudoki was killed."

Gyo Shin: "I don't care about meaningless stuff like that! Naeko is definitely the killer and I'm not changing my mind on it!"

But alibis are some of the most important evidence when it comes to cornering suspects.

Chimon: "Once again, anyone could have entered Naeko's lab. The only reason you people are suspecting him is because he's the Ultimate Chemical Scientist. Besides, don't all the poisons in Naeko's lab have labels? In that case, the culprit wouldn't need advanced chemical knowledge if they just read all the labels and picked the poisons they wanted."

Sashi: "Um actually. Me, Tetsu, and Fudoki all removed the labels for the poisons in Naeko's lab. We did in order to make sure nobody knows what's inside the containers. That way people would be less likely to take the chemicals without knowing any details."

Chiyo: "Is that true Tetsu?"

Tetsu: "...Yes, I can attest to that."

Gyo Shin: "In that case, it just makes Naeko look even more suspicious! He didn't need to read the labels because his advanced chemical knowledge means he could recognize what's inside each container with a single glance!"

Naeko: "Why are you all ganging up on me!? While I am the Ultimate Mad Scientist, that doesn't mean I'm automatically a suspect!"

Chimon: "That's not what we're talking about. Stop trying to use your delusions to try to prove that you're innocent. It's not evidence."

Naeko is the culprit, is that really true?

NON-STOP DEBATE START

1) CHEMISTRY LAB SHELF

2) USED LAB EQUIPMENT

3) EMPTY BOTTLE

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

. Gyo Shin: "^Naeko's the culprit^!"

. Naeko: "Impossible!!!"

. Yemon: "But *Naeko has an alibi*."

. Gyo Shin: "That doesn't matter!"

. Gyo Shin: "The evidence still points to him being the culprit!"

. Chiyo: "First of all..."

. Chiyo: "*both poisons came from the chemistry lab shelf*."

. Renjiro: "But there were no labels on the poisons."

. Renjiro: "Which means that *only you know what's inside the containers*!"

. Renora: "If both poisons were at the crime scene..."

. Renora: "then there's no doubt that the killer brought them there."

. Naeko: "STOP IT!!!"

. Naeko: "I'LL KILL ALL OF YOU!!!"

Is Naeko really the culprit? Even without his alibi in consideration, is there any way to tell?

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sashi: "NO, THAT'S WRONG!"

BREAK

Sashi: "Hold on Chiyo. Only one of the poisons came from the chemistry lab shelf, not both."

Chiyo: "How do you know that?"

Sashi: "Because according to the list of chemicals next to the shelf, there were 20 deadly poisons in total. But I only counted 19, which means only one was taken."

Emnei: "In that case, which poison was taken from the shelf?"

Sashi: "It has to be the troquil poison. The empty bottle the troquil was in matches with the other containers on the shelf."

Naeko: "Glass flasks come from the drawers in my lab, not the chemical shelf. Chemical bottles on the other hand, do come from the chemical shelf."

Renjiro: "So the empty bottle at the scene was taken from the chemistry shelf? In that case, where did the intoxicide come from? Was there no container for it?"

Naeko: "There was no container for intoxicide listed. So, it definitely didn't come from my shelf."

In that case, how did the killer obtain intoxicide? Maybe it has to do with the container it was found in.

Question: How did the killer obtain intoxicide poisoning?

SELECT ANSWER

A) They obtained from the empty bottle.

B) They got it from somewhere other than Naeko's lab.

C) They made it from scratch.

Sashi: "That must be it."

Sashi: "If there was no container containing intoxicide poisoning, then it had to be made from scratch!"

Gyo Shin: "But it's still the same fucking problem as before. Only Naeko would have enough advanced chemical knowledge to make something like that."

Yemon: "Not necessarily. In Naeko's lab is a chemistry textbook that tells you how to make all types of mixtures and compounds. Specifically, there was a page for intoxicide poisoning!"

Renora: "So anyone could have made the poison if they were following instructions, not just Naeko."

Chiyo: "You're probably right Sashi, since you always seem to correct about these sort of things. But I'm asking just to make sure. Is there any proof that proves that the poison was made from scratch? Surely some sort of evidence must have been left behind if that was the case."

Sashi: "I do have evidence to back up my assertion, I assure you."

Question: "What proves that the intoxicide poison was made from scratch?"

SELECT TRUTH BULLET

CORRECT ANSWER: USED LAB EQUIPMENT

Sashi: "That's it."

Sashi: "While I was investigating, I noticed that some of the lab equipment has been washed. What other reason for it to be washed then because it had been used recently?"

Yemon: "Not to mention, a beaker, graduated cylinder, and test tube were all used in particular. According to the chemistry textbook, intoxicide poisoning is made by mixing 500 milliliters of mercury and 50 heated milliliters of vaproquine. If the culprit was following instructions from the textbook, then it would make sense for them to use those kinds of lab equipment in particular."

Chimon: "First the killer measured 500 milliliters of mercury in the graduated cylinder. They then dumped the vaproquine into the beaker. Next, they measured 50 milliliters of vaproquine in the graduated cylinder before dumping it into the test tube. Then they heated the test tube using a burner. Finally, they dumped the vaproquine into the beaker and mixed the chemicals together to form intoxicide poison."

Emnei: "All they had to do then was put the poison in a glass flask, and the murder weapon is completely prepared."

Gyo Shin: "Okay, we know that the intoxicide poison didn't come from the chemistry lab shelf. Instead it was made on the spot. But how does that prove Naeko's innocence?"

Doryo: "The killer still took the troquil bottle from the shelf. But only Naeko could know it was really troquil. In that case, how the fuck can the killer be anyone else?"

Akina: "Just because the killer took the troquil container doesn't mean they had to know what was inside. It could have just been a coincidence."

Naeko: "Not to mention, the chemistry textbook might have some info about what troquil poison looks like. The killer could have just read that."

Sashi: "Also, if Naeko really was the culprit, why did he choose poisoning out of all the different types of murder methods? Was he trying to look suspicious? If we thought the victim was poisoned using a chemical from Naeko's lab, of course we would automatically suspect him. If he was the killer, you would think he would choose a method that would make him less suspicious."

Chimon: "He already had an alibi, so there is entire discussion was completely pointless in the first place. It's only because some of you are so goddamn stupid that you automatically accuse people without looking at all the evidence that we even looked at the possibility of Naeko being the culprit."

Renjiro: "I guess when you really put it all together, it seems pretty unlikely that Naeko is the culprit."

Naeko: "Finally. I thought these mindless accusations were never going to end."

Renora: "Okay so now that we know Naeko's innocent, what do we discuss now? It seems we are all out of leads."

Sashi: "I think we should figure how the murder was committed at first."

Doryo: "But what the fuck do we even need to discuss? It's obvious how the murder occurred. The killer knocked out Fudoki, moved him to the storeroom, then poisoned him with a glass flask containing intoxi-what-ever-the-fuck."

Emnei: "If the truth were that simple, it wouldn't explain two specific mysteries about this case. Mysteries that make the murder seem impossible at first."

Nori: "Mysteries?"

Emnei: "You know what I'm talking about, right Sashi? One of the mysteries is obvious if you look at a certain piece of evidence."

Sashi: "Oh. I think I know what you are talking about."

Question: What piece of evidence shows a mystery that seems impossible to solve at first?

SELECT TRUTH BULLET

CORRECT ANSWER: STOREROOM DOOR

Sashi: "That's it."

Sashi: "What's confusing about this case is that the storeroom door was locked, so Renjiro had to break down the door in order to get us inside."

Chiyo: "What's so unusual about that?"

Sashi: "The thing is, everyone was with us when Renjiro broke down the door. In that case, why was the door locked?"

Yemon: "Isn't this what you call a locked room mystery? Where you don't know how the victim could have possibly escaped a locked room due to there seemingly being only one entrance and exit?"

Emnei: "In this case, if the door was locked from the inside, how did the killer escape the storeroom? They had to have escaped because everyone was with us when we busted down the door, including the killer."

Renjiro: "Hmm. I'm not sure how the killer escaped."

Emnei: "The answer is a lot simpler than you think. Once we discuss this a bit, we are sure to arrive at the right conclusion."

NON-STOP DEBATE START

1) STOREROOM DOOR

2) VENT

3) SCATTERED BOXES

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

. Emnei: "How did the killer...."

. Emnei: "escape the locked storeroom?"

. Chiyo: "Maybe they somehow..."

. Chiyo: "^locked the door on the outside^."

. Yemon: "There didn't seem to be anything suspicious about the door..."

. Yemon: "so I'm not so sure about that."

. Gyo Shin: "Wasn't there a vent in the storeroom?"

. Gyo Shin: "Couldn't the killer *have escaped through there*?"

. Doryo: "But wasn't the vent too tall to reach?"

. Naeko: "Maybe the killer got a ^piggyback ride from someone^?"

. Akina: "Wouldn't that mean there was an accomplice?"

. Renora: "Or maybe the killer just ^climbed on something^..."

. Renora: "in order to reach the vent."

The door was definitely locked before we found the body. In that case, how did the killer escape the locked storeroom?

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sashi: "I agree with that!"

BREAK

Sashi: "There's no doubt that the killer escaped through the vent. It's literally the only exit other than the storeroom door."

Doryo: "Once again, how the fuck would the killer reach something so high off the ground?"

Sashi: "It's just like Renora said. The killer climbed on top of something in order to reach the vent."

Renora: "I was right? Well good for me then I guess."

Sashi: "More specifically, the killer climbed on top of the boxes in the storeroom. What's unusual about these boxes is that they were scattered all over the storeroom floor."

Chimon: "Normally these boxes are neatly stacked on top of each other. But in this case, they were all over the place."

Yemon: "My original thought was that the boxes were scattered during a struggle between the killer and Fudoki. But thinking back on it, I don't think that's the case here.

Akina: "I think I get it! The killer first placed boxes on top of each other to form steps in order to reach the vent. Then after they reached the vent, they shoved the boxes off of each other, causing them to scatter all over the place. I imagine the killer did that in order to hide the fact that the boxes were used to climb into the vent."

Emnei: "Exactly. That's how the killer escaped the locked storeroom. The answer really is as simple as it seems."

Yemon: "It's hardly a locked room mystery if the mystery is that easy to solve."

Emnei: "Like I said, that were two mysteries to this case. The locked room was one of them. But there's another mystery about this case that makes the murder seem completely impossible to achieve at first."

Renjiro: "What is this mystery?"

Emnei: "I just want to ask everyone here. We all agreed that the intoxicide glass flask was the murder weapon in this case, correct? That it's the source of the poison that killed Fudoki?"

Naeko: "That is what we concluded."

Chimon: "We already figured that out almost an hour ago."

Emnei: "That's interesting, because according to Naeko, this type of poison can only be inhaled through the nose. In order for the poison to take effect, you can't consume it as a liquid. Instead you must inhale it as a gas."

Chiyo: "Yeah. So what?"

Emnei: "Think about it. If the killer threw the glass flask on the ground, causing the victim to inhale the gas, instantly killing him, why is the killer still alive?"

Nori: "I still have no idea what the fuck you are talking about."

Emnei: "I'm saying if the victim inhaled the gas, why didn't the killer also inhale the gas?"

Gyo Shin: "Maybe they just pinched their nose and held their breath?"

Yemon: "If it was really that easy to stop the gas from entering your body, wouldn't the victim have done the same thing? If they saw the killer pinch their nose after throwing the flask, of course they would instantly know that a deadly gas is in the room and that they need to hold their breath."

Chimon: "Maybe they just used a gas mask?"

Naeko: "There is nothing like that in my lab, or the rest of the school as far as we know."

Renjiro: "I've searched this school from top to bottom, and I haven't seen anything like that."

Renora: "That definitely is a mystery. How the hell did the killer murder Fudoki then?"

Chiyo: "Maybe we were wrong about the intoxicide poison being the murder weapon? Maybe it really was the troquil bottle after all?"

Sashi: "No, we were right regarding the murder weapon. This is just one mystery in this case that needs to be solved. I'm sure there's an easy solution to this."

Nori: "Does that mean you know the answer to this problem?"

Sashi: "Umm. Actually, not yet."

Doryo: "Then what the fuck are we supposed to do?"

Gyo Shin: "Did we just hit a roadblock? We still don't know who the culprit is, and we are already out of ideas!? Are we all going to fucking die here!?"

Sashi: "Hold on now. I'm sure we can figure out who the culprit is. Let's not worry too much."

Renora: "You were the one who brought up this topic Emnei. Do you know how the killer killed Fudoki?"

Emnei: "I'm honestly not sure yet. I just thought someone else may be able to provide an answer. I think I'll have to think about it some more."

Renjiro: "Then what do we talk about until then? Do we just wait until Emnei comes up with an answer?"

Sashi: "You got any ideas Tetsu?"

Tetsu: "... I think we have gone way off topic here. We were originally talking about how the killer escaped through the vent. Maybe we should go back to that topic."

Akina: "What else is there to talk about regarding the vent? I thought we already figured everything out."

Tetsu: "Remember how high up the vent was? And that's why we had to figure out that something was used in order to climb into the vent? Well the same problem occurs when it comes to escaping the vent."

Sashi: "Oh. I see what you mean. There were two other vent exits besides the one in the storeroom. These are the library and hallway vents. The library vent was ten feet off the ground, while the hallway vent was twenty feet off the ground. Both of these vents are too high off the ground to not cause any bruises when climbing out."

Nori: "In that case, which exit did the killer use?"

If I look at my evidence, I should be able to answer Nori's question.

Question: Which vent did the killer crawl out of?

A) Hallway Vent

B) Library Vent

C) Storeroom Vent

CORRECT ANSWER: A

Sashi: "That must be it."

Sashi: "The killer must have escaped through the hallway vent."

Chiyo: "But that's literally the vent that is the highest off the ground. How would they be able to climb out of the vent without injury?"

Renora: "Couldn't they have just used the library vent instead?"

Sashi: "No, it's impossible for them to have used the library vent."

Renora: "Why?"

Question: Why couldn't the killer escape from the library vent?

SELECT TRUTH BULLET

CORRECT ANSWER: Nori's Account

Sashi: "That's it."

Sashi: "Nori, you were talking to Tetsu in the library from 7:55 to 8:50 AM, correct?"

Nori: "Yeah. Can you confirm this Tetsu?"

Tetsu: "That's right."

Sashi: "In that case, the killer couldn't have escaped through the library because Nori and Tetsu were talking in there. If they left the vent, they would immediately be witnessed."

Naeko: "Couldn't they have just waited for Nori and Tetsu to leave, then leave through the vent?"

Sashi: "First of all, I don't think the killer would have risked that. They were trying to escape as fast as possible. Since they don't know how long Nori and Tetsu are going to stay in the library, they wouldn't stand around waiting. Besides, if the killer left right after Nori and Tetsu, wouldn't we have seen them enter the dining hall right after?"

Gyo Shin: "But Renora never arrived at the dining hall. Couldn't she be the culprit then?"

Renora: "Woah. I told you it was because my makeup wouldn't cooperate this morning. I wasn't killing anybody!"

Sashi: "That may be true, but that's not what happened in this case. The killer definitely escaped from the hallway vent."

Chiyo: "But the vent was twenty feet off the ground. How would they be able to reach the ground safely?"

That's what I need to figure out. How could the killer reach the ground without injuring themselves? Maybe they used some kind of object?

HANGMAN'S GAMBIT START

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AVILABLE LETTERS: P M B N G I R C L O E N

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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CORRECT ANSWER: CLIMBING ROPE

Sashi: "I see now!"

COMPLETE

Sashi: "I got it! The killer must have used some sort of rope to climb down from the vent!"

Renjiro: "I guess that makes sense. But what sort of rope did the killer use?"

Was there anything that resembles a rope in my evidence?

Question: What rope did the killer use to climb out of the hallway vent?

SELECT TRUTH BULLET

CORRECT ANSWER: EXTENSION CORD

Sashi: "That's it."

Sashi: "For some strange reason, an extension cord was found below the vent in the hallway. There's no way something like that is a coincidence. That must be what the killer used to climb out of the hallway vent.

Naeko: "FOOLISH!!! FOOLISH I SAY!!!"

Naeko: "That's completely and utterly foolish!"

Sashi: "Did I say something wrong?"

Naeko: "Everything you said was wrong! You say the killer climbed out of the hallway vent using the extension cord? That makes no sense!"

REBUTTAL SHOWDOWN START

1) EXTENSION CORD

2) VENT

3) ROPE

4) NAILS

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. Naeko: "You say the killer used an extension cord..."

. Naeko: "as a rope to climb out of the hallway vent?"

. Naeko: "That's utterly foolish!"

. Naeko: "Actually not just the extension cord..."

. Naeko: "It's impossible for any type of rope to be used!"

. Naeko: "In that case..."

. Naeko: "Your entire argument that the killer left the hallway vent is wrong!"

ADVANCE

Sashi: "Why is it impossible for the killer to climb out of the vent with a rope? There's no doubt that the killer escaped from the hallway vent. In that case, the killer had to have used some kind of rope to climb down!"

. Naeko: "But in order for you to climb down with the rope..."

. Naeko: "*you need to attach it to something*."

. Naeko: "But there was *nothing to attach it to*."

. Naeko: "If you just laid the extension cord on the vent..."

. Naeko: "The cord would *just fall to the floor*..."

. Naeko: "before you could even climb down!"

. Naeko: "Do you know realize how wrong you are!?"

Why it may seem impossible for the culprit to use a rope to climb out of the vent, it's certainly a possibility when considering a certain kind of evidence.

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Sashi: "I'LL CUT THROUGH YOUR WORDS!!!"

BREAK

Sashi: "Actually Naeko, there was something to attach the extension cord to."

Naeko: "WHAT!? You dare challenge the Ultimate Mad Scientist's reasoning!"

Sashi: "Yes I do. Because it's wrong."

Naeko: "Fine! Argue against me! If you really want to die that bad, be my guest!"

Sashi: "................"

Naeko: "Silent now, aren't you? You're so terrified you can't even speak a single word."

Sashi: "While I was investigating the hallway vent, I noticed something interesting. Next to the hallway vent was a nail inexplicitly shoved into the wall. However, this nail wasn't fully pushed inside, so some of the nail still stood out."

Emnei: "Is that what the killer attached the extension cord to?"

Sashi: "There's no doubt. It's simply too unnatural for a nail to be stuck into the wall like that, especially with a part of it sticking out."

Chiyo: "So did the killer purposely put a nail into the wall just to have something to hang the extension cord to?"

Sashi: "There's all types of hammers, nails, and screwdrivers in the warehouse. The killer could have easily used those in order to shove the nail into the wall!"

Chimon: "So basically, at first the killer realized they couldn't leave through the library, so they decided to leave through the hallway instead. So, the killer prepared a nail, extension cord, and hammer to the hallway vent exit. They then hammered the nail into the wall and tied the extension cord to it. Finally, they climbed down the wall using the extension cord. After they reached the ground, they just pulled the extension cord down."

Yemon: "And that is how the killer escaped from the vent!"

Naeko: "Wait. I was wrong? Are you telling me the Ultimate Mad Scientist's logic was incorrect?"

Chimon: "Yes. Get over it."

Naeko: "This is so embarrassing. I should have never even spoken up in the first place."

Sashi: "It's fine Naeko. You did your best."

Naeko: "Thank you Sashi."

Gyo Shin: "Wait, are these two actually friends? Talk about an odd friendship."

Chiyo: "Um, so we now know how the killer escaped the vent, but where does that get us? We still don't know who the killer is or how they managed to kill Fudoki without breathing in the toxic gas."

Renjiro: "What do you mean we don't know who the killer is? There's literally no other suspect besides Renora."

Renora: "I'm not the culprit. I already told you."

Gyo Shin: "But you're the only one without an alibi. Everyone else showed up at the dining hall before Fudoki died. Well, except for Tetsu and Nori, but they were also together the whole time."

Renora: "W-Why are you so desperate to pin me as the culprit!? I didn't kill anyone!"

Gyo Shin: "Just admit it you killed Fudoki, you fucking bitch!"

Renora: "Bitch!?"

Gyo Shin: "Bitches like you are what cause me to go through these shitty class trials! You're the fucking culprit, so stop being a pussy and admit it, so I don't have to be on the verge of death anymore!"

Yemon: "Gyo Shin? Has something happened to you? You weren't like this in the first class trial?"

Gyo Shin: "Oh, sorry. That was just a little joke. I don't really think you're a bitch, I just got a little carried away there."

Yeah sure.

Chimon: "I have to admit it, Gyo Shin makes a good point. If we look at our alibis, then Renora seems to be the only suspect."

Nori: "W-Wait hold on! This doesn't feel right! Renora can't be the culprit!"

Akina: "Why not? Is it because of your petty emotions, you pussy ass bitch! Guess what, emotions don't belong in this trial, evidence does."

Nori: "I just believe she's not the culprit."

Chimon: "You believed Marika wasn't the culprit and looked what happened there. You shouldn't trust people so easily."

Nori: "So are you saying I shouldn't believe in a friend? I admit I was wrong about Marika, but I won't make the same mistake again. This time, I'm certain Renora's innocent."

Emnei: "Why do you think that?"

Nori: "It's just a feeling. Even disregarding that I don't believe Renora would be the type of person to kill someone, it just seems too easy."

Sashi: "I actually feel the same way. I also believe Renora's innocent. It just doesn't seem like the answer would be this simple."

Chiyo: "Just because an answer is simple doesn't mean it's incorrect."

Sashi: "I know. But there's still loads of evidence that we haven't covered yet. I just have a feeling that there's more to this case that meets the eye. Especially since we still haven't figured out that other mystery,"

Yemon: "Speaking of. Emnei, did you finally think of something?"

Emnei: "...............Ah!"

Sashi: "I think that's a yes."

Emnei: "I think I might have an idea of what happened."

Doryo: "Then share already!"

Emnei: "I don't think I should explain it all at once. I think we need to look at everything one step at a time to make sure we are all on the same page."

Akina: "So can you give us a hint?"

Emnei: "Sashi. You still don't have any ideas, do you?"

Sashi: "I see evidence that still hasn't come up, but I'm still not sure how to piece it together."

Emnei: "I see. In that case..."

Emnei: "TIME TO PUT OUR EVIDENCE TOGETHER!!!"

Emnei: "As you said, the evidence is already there. All you have to do is put it together in order to form a conclusion. May I help you figure out what evidence is crucial to this mystery?

LOGIC TEAM START

1) STOREROOM DOOR

2) NAILS

3) ROPE

4) STEP LADDER

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. Emnei: "What we need to figure out is..."

. Emnei: "how the culprit killed Fudoki with intoxicide gas..."

. Emnei: "while also not inhaling the gas."

. Emnei: "Think about it."

. Emnei: "If the killer ^wasn't actually at the crime scene^..."

. Emnei: "during the murder."

. Emnei: "They could easily have murdered him without inhaling the gas."

ADVANCE

Sashi: "But how would the killer murder Fudoki without actually being at the crime scene? Are you saying that they killed him remotely?"

. Emnei: "Exactly."

. Emnei: "The culprit killed Fudoki remotely."

. Emnei: "Using some ^sort of trap^."

. Emnei: "Maybe it was ^connected to the storeroom door^?"

. Emnei: "Or ^maybe the vent^?"

. Emnei: "The evidence clearly shows the connection..."

. Emnei: "so all you have to do is make it Sashi."

The culprit killed the victim without actually being at the crime scene. Is that even possible?

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Sashi and Emnei: "WE FORMED OUR LOGIC TOGETHER!!!"

BREAK

Sashi: "There was one piece of evidence that I couldn't figure what it was used for. And that was the rope at the scene. But now that I think about, that has to be connected to the mystery we couldn't solve."

Chiyo: "What does a rope have to do with anything?"

Sashi: "Now that I'm thinking about it, I'm thinking it was attached to the storeroom door. They tied the rope to the storeroom doorknob!"

Gyo Shin: "Why would they do something like that?"

Sashi: "I believe that this was all part of a plan to kill Fudoki remotely. In other words, to kill him without actually being at the scene."

Nori: "Kill Fudoki remotely? How the hell do you even do something like that?"

That's what I need to figure out. How would the killer manage the murder Fudoki remotely? I need to think long and hard about this. If I can think answer all the questions in my head, I'm sure to come to the right conclusion.

PSYCHE TAXI START

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Question 1: What object other than the storeroom door was the rope attached to?

A) Nail

B) Vent

CORRECT ANSWER: A

Question 2: What was the purpose of the rope?

A) To hold the door closed

B) To hold the door slightly open

C) To hold the door significantly open

CORRECT ANSWER: B

Question 3: What was placed on top of the storeroom door when it was held open?

A) Troquil Bottle

B) Mercury Bottle

C) Intoxicide Flask

CORRECT ANSWER: C

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Sashi: "It connects!"

COMPLETE

Sashi: "I figured it out! I know how the culprit murdered Fudoki remotely!"

Akina: "Really?"

Sashi: "I think I need to tell everything one step at a time. First of all, the storeroom door wasn't the only thing the rope was tied to. Just like the hallway wall, there was also a nail shoved into the storeroom wall. Specifically, it was placed right next to the storeroom door. And just like last time, it was hammered in all the way, so it still stuck out slightly. That was the other object the rope was tied to! In other words, the rope was tied to both the storeroom doorknob and nail!"

Yemon: "Say what now? What is the point of doing that?"

Sashi: "Which ties into why the culprit did this in the first place. First of all, the reason the culprit tied the rope between the nail and doorknob was to open it up slightly, but not significantly. That is why the rope was so short. It needed to be short in order to not open the door too much. But since the rope was tied to the doorknob in a specific place, the door can be moves slightly, but the person inside the storeroom can't actually escape! The gap between the door and the wall is too small!"

Chiyo: "So are you saying the culprit tried to trap the victim inside the storeroom? But in that case, couldn't they have just propped the door with a chair or something?"

Sashi: "Which ties into the last thing the culprit did. After the door was forced open, the killer placed the glass flask on top of the door. In this case, as long as the door wasn't moved, the flask would stay on top of the door. But in this case, the killer wanted the flask to fall. Because in this incident, the killer was trying to set up a death trap to kill the victim and still have an alibi!"

Gyo Shin: "Oh! I get what happened! After the killer placed the glass flask on top of the tied door, they left the scene! Then the victim woke up from unconsciousness. Being surprised that they suddenly ended up in the storeroom, I imagine they immediately tried to flee the scene. But as soon as they opened the door, the glass flask fell to the floor, causing the liquid to evaporate. The victim then inhaled the gas, instantly killing him! Even if they tried to escape the gas, they couldn't because the door was trapped!"

TRAPPED DOOR ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

21/21 TRAPPED DOOR: The storeroom door was held slightly open by tying a rope to both the doorknob and a nail nearby. This prevented anybody from both entering and leaving the storeroom through the door. The killer also placed a glass flask on top of the door, so when anybody opened the door, it would fall. The liquid inside the glass flask would then evaporate, turning into a deadly gas that could instantly kill anyone with a single breath.

Chimon: "I'm surprised you figured it out. You don't exactly seem like a very smart person when it comes to deductions."

Gyo Shin: "I figured it out because it reminds me of the water bucket prank. You know, when a person places a water bucket on top of an opened door, so when anybody opens it, they get soaked with water. I used to do pranks like that all the time!"

Renjiro: "Hold on. Something about this doesn't make sense to me."

Emnei: "What doesn't make sense."

Renjiro: "There's a fatal flaw in this method of logic. I feel we need to discuss this a little more."

Sashi: "Fine by me. We shouldn't stop discussing this until everyone has figured it out and all other possibilities have been erased."

NON-STOP DEBATE START

1) MONOKUMA FILE 2

2) CHIMON'S ACCOUNT

3) GYO SHIN'S ACCOUNT

4) NORI'S ACCOUNT

5) TRAPPED DOOR

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. Renjiro: "While the evidence seems..."

. Renjiro: "*to point to the door being trapped*..."

. Renjiro: "there's still a major problem."

. Emnei: "What kind of problem?"

. Renjiro: "*The storeroom should have been perfectly bright*."

. Renjiro: "In that case, wouldn't have Fudoki have..."

. Renjiro: "*noticed the glass flask on top of the door*?"

. Akina: "I see!"

. Akina: "In that case, wouldn't Fudoki have just..."

. Akina: "*removed the glass flask from on top of the door*?"

. Nori: "Maybe he just didn't notice it..."

. Nori: "because he was trying to rush out of the storeroom..."

. Nori: "as fast as possible."

. Renora: "But did the killer honestly expect..."

. Renora: "that Fudoki wouldn't notice the glass flask?"

. Renjiro: "Now do you see what I'm saying Sashi?"

Would Fudoki really have noticed the glass flask on the door? Whatever the reason is, it's probably not a coincidence.

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Sashi: "NO, THAT'S WRONG!"

BREAK

Sashi: "While normally Fudoki probably would have noticed the glass flask on top of the door, that's not true this time. Isn't that right Chimon?"

Chimon: "Yeah. While I was searching for Fudoki in the warehouse, I noticed that all the lights were turned off. It was completely pitch black, so I had to leave the warehouse for a while. When I came back a little later however, all the lights were turned on again."

Emnei: "If the killer turned off the lights for the warehouse, it's only natural that they also turned off the lights for the storeroom, effectively removing all light from Fudoki's eyes. This meant that he couldn't have noticed the flask even if he wanted to. However, he probably still accidentally opened the door by stumbling around in the room. Or maybe he already knew where the door was, so he tried to head in that direction."

Yemon: "So the killer forced Fudoki into a situation where they had to open the trapped door no matter what!"

Sashi: "That's how the killer murdered Fudoki remotely! There should be no objections now, right Renjiro?"

Renjiro: "I understand now. Thanks for informing me about this."

Emnei: "It seems like we finally figured out the last mystery of this case. But that's where the good news ends unfortunately."

Chiyo: "Huh? What do you mean?"

Emnei: "What I mean is that we're still back to square one!"

Akina: "Oh yeah. Since the victim was killed remotely, anyone can be a suspect based on how long Fudoki was knocked out. In other words, everyone's alibis at the dining hall except for maybe Tetsu and Nori are meaningless. Because now we know that the killer did this in order to create an alibi for themselves."

Chiyo: "What do we do now? Are we all going to die now because we're out of suspects!?"

Sashi: "No. As long as we think about it some more, I'm sure we can come up with a suspect. I'm certain that the trapped door has provided some sort of clue regarding the culprit's identity."

But it's still true that we no longer have any major suspects. In that case, who is the killer? Can it really be anyone? How are we going to finger them as the culprit?

CLASS TRIAL INTERMISSION

CLASS TRIAL RESUME

Emnei: "What do we do know? It seems like you have an idea of how to find the culprit, Sashi."

Sashi: "I think we've got a good idea of how the murder occurred. Now that we know how the murder happened, we need to find the culprit. But I'm not entirely sure what to do at the moment."

Renjiro: "But Sashi has always led us during the class trials. If even she doesn't know what to do, then what's our next option here?"

Gyo Shin: "Do you have an idea Tetsu? You seemed to have figured out what we should do last time."

Tetsu: "I think I know what we should do. But first, I need to ask everyone a question. If the victim was killed remotely, what does that mean?"

Chiyo: "I have no idea what you are asking. You're being really vague."

Tetsu: "Just think about it. If the victim was killed remotely, what does that mean for this case? What would have to happen?"

Sashi: "I think I get what you're saying Tetsu."

Question: If Fudoki was killed remotely, what does that mean for this case?

A) The victim committed suicide

B) The killer never went to the crime scene

C) The killer had to return to the crime scene

CORRECT ANSWER: C

Sashi: "That must be it."

Sashi: "If the victim was killed using a death trap, the killer would have to go to the crime scene twice. Once to set up the trap, and twice to get rid of the evidence afterwards."

Chimon: "The floor was scrubbed, the broken flask was thrown away, and the door was closed and locked from the inside. This all had to have happened after the victim was already killed. In other words, the killer needed to return to the crime scene to do all of these things."

Akina: "But when would the killer be able to return to the crime scene?"

Sashi: "That's a good question actually."

When would the culprit be able to return to the crime scene? Almost everyone showed up to the dining hall, so no one should be able to go to the storeroom during that time. In that case, when did the culprit go to the storeroom? Maybe the answer lies in my evidence.

Question: What shows when the killer returned to the crime scene?

SELECT TRUTH BULLET

CORRECT ANSWER: SPLIT SEARCH

Sashi: "That's it."

Sashi: "Since the culprit immediately went to the dining hall after setting up the trapped door in order to secure an alibi, the only time the killer could have returned to the crime scene is when we were all searching for Fudoki."

Yemon: "I think we need to seriously stop splitting up when we start searching for people. It just gives opportunities for the killer. That was what happened last time as well."

Nori: "But we were all separated. How can we figure out the killer based on that?"

Sashi: "The only people who could be the killer are the ones who searched the building that contains the library and warehouse. It that case, I'm pretty sure it can only be three people."

Akina: "You narrowed it down that fast?"

Chimon: "I was searching the warehouse, so that makes me the first suspect."

Renjiro: "You're being really honest right now. You know that we can all accuse right now just for searching the place where the victim was killed. Does that even bother you in the slightest?"

Chimon: "I know this isn't conclusive evidence, but there was a blackout in the warehouse when I entered. So, I couldn't have entered the storeroom because it was too dark. By the time the lights turned on and I returned to the warehouse, the door was already locked."

Gyo Shin: "And how do we know you're telling the truth about the blackout?"

Chimon: "Like I said, this is all just witness testimony. I don't have any evidence to base my claims. But I'm pretty sure the blackout occurred. Otherwise the victim could have easily saw the glass flask on top of the door."

Sashi: "I agree. Unless we can prove he's lying, I think we can all agree that the blackout occurred. However, that doesn't prove his innocence completely."

Renora: "The killer could have easily just used a light to reach the storeroom."

Renjiro: "Honestly if anyone was going to be a killer, Chimon is probably the second person I would suspect, only behind Doryo. He's just such an asshole that I could easily see him murdering someone."

Gyo Shin: "You're the killer, aren't you Chimon?"

Chimon: "I seriously hate it when you people suspect others just because of their personalities. You have no concrete evidence that I'm the culprit. You are only suspecting me because you don't like me. You would rather have me be the killer rather than one of your precious classmates. Mindless accusations like this are what puts everyone's lives at stake. If you are really such a good person, then stopping putting everyone in danger because of how you personally feel. Fucking assholes."

Renjiro: "Well maybe if you would stop being such an insufferable douchebag, people wouldn't suspect you! You're the real asshole here, not me!"

Chimon: "You're blaming others for your utter stupidity. You're so fucking stupid that you can't figure out who the killer is based on concrete evidence, so you instead suspect people you hate just because of your mindless belief in others. Idiots like you are what ruins the class trial, so just shut up and let the competent people talk."

Renjiro: "WELL FUCK YOU THEN!!! IT SEEMS LIKE YOU REALLY WANT A FIST TO THE FACE!!!"

Nori: "Stop fighting! Both of you, please calm down and let it go!"

Renjiro: "Are you saying that we're both at fault here!? Chimon's the one who is being a major douchebag, not me!"

Yemon: "Yes. You're both equally at fault here."

Renjiro: "What are you talking about Yemon? I thought you were my friend! You should be on my side!"

Yemon: "You're the one who accused Chimon without any evidence to back it up. Did you really think he wouldn't call you out on it? Of course, Chimon is being a huge dick about it, but he does have a point."

Renjiro: "Fine then. I guess none of you are on my side in this."

Akina: "Sashi wasn't even done making her point yet. She still hasn't brought up the two other suspects yet. It's only because you two are acting like immature children that this nonsensical bickering even started! Please continue Sashi."

Sashi: "Thanks for being on my side Akina."

Akina: "I'm just being honest here. You're still just another woman, which I don't like. So don't think I'm suddenly all friendly with you just yet."

Sashi: "Come on Akina. I know you like me, so stop lying to yourself like that."

Akina: "Shut up, or I'll punch you in the face right now!"

Sashi: "Okay Akina. Jeez. Anyways, like I said, there's only three suspects right now currently. All of these people have investigated the building, which makes them suspicious. Chimon's only one suspect, but there's two other people, right Chimon?"

Chimon: "Yes. First of all, I saw Renjiro searching the hallway. I wasn't in the hallway for very long, so I don't know what he was doing at the time or how long he was in there."

Renjiro: "So now you are suspecting me, Chimon? You're a real hypocrite, aren't you!"

Gyo Shin: "Shut up Renjiro."

Chimon: "I also saw Naeko enter the library. When I asked him about it, he said he was investigating there. So that makes him the third and final suspect."

Naeko: "AGAIN!?! THE ULTIMATE MAD SCIENTIST IS BEING SUSPECTING AGAIN!?!"

Yemon: "Since we know that the vent connects to both the library and hallway, both Naeko and Renjiro are suspects here."

Sashi: "All we need to do is figure out who could and couldn't commit the murder among these three."

Chimon: "Like I said, there was a blackout in the warehouse, so I couldn't go to the storeroom."

Renjiro: "I was only investigating the hallway for a brief time, so I didn't have enough time to go to the storeroom and get rid of evidence. I was sort of investigating all over the school, not just the hallway."

Naeko: "I was already proven innocent! Do you all have a death wish!?"

1) Chimon: "I'm not the culprit!"

2) Renjiro: "I'm not the culprit!"

3) Naeko: "I'm still not the culprit!"

MASS PANIC DEBATE START

TRUTH BULLETS:

1) CHIMON'S ACCOUNT

2) SPLIT SEARCH

3) DINING HALL MEETING

4) TRAPPED DOOR

5) GYO SHIN'S ACCOUNT

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. 1) Chimon: "I'm not the killer..."

2) Renjiro: There's no way I could have killed Fudoki."

3) Naeko: "I was already proven innocent..."

. 1) Chimon: "because there *was a blackout in the warehouse*."

2) Renjiro: "I was only *investigating the hallway for a brief time*."

3) Naeko: "so why are you people suspecting me?"

. 1) Renora: "Couldn't you have *just used a light*?"

2) Gyo Shin: "How do we know that though?"

3) Naeko: "*I only investigated the library*."

. 1) Renora: "In that case, you *could have entered the storeroom easily*."

2) Renjiro: "I don't have a witness, so I can't back up my statement."

3) Naeko: "*I never even went to the warehouse*."

. 1) Chimon: "I admit that I have no concrete evidence."

2) Renjiro: "But the vent was too high to climb into!"

3) Akina: "What's to say you didn't climb into the library vent?"

. 1) Chimon: "But I assure you that I am not the culprit."

2) Renjiro: "It's not like *there was any tools I could use*."

3) Naeko: "STOP ACCUSING ME OR I'LL KILL ALL OF YOU!!!"

Based on my deductive reasoning, only these three could have done it. In that case, who's innocent? Who's telling the truth?

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sashi: "I HEARD IT!"

BREAK

Sashi: "Actually Chimon could not have entered the storeroom."

Renora: "Why not?"

Sashi: "Because the door was trapped at the time. Since the doorknob was tied to the nail with a rope, it can't open all the way. It certainly can't open enough to let a person inside. In other words, it's impossible for Chimon to enter the storeroom from the warehouse!"

Renjiro: "I guess that means Chimon is innocent after all."

Chimon: "That's what I have been saying this whole time. If I couldn't enter the storeroom door, then I'm not guilty."

Nori: "I guess that leaves to Naeko and Renjiro as the only suspects."

Renora: "Hold on now. Sashi, is that really your defense for Chimon? I'm disappointed in you, I thought you could come up with something better than that."

Sashi: "What do you mean Renora? Was my reasoning wrong?"

Renora: "Yes. You say that the killer couldn't enter through the storeroom door because it couldn't open all the way due to being tied to a rope? In that case, couldn't the culprit have just cut the rope?"

Emnei: "But the rope was on the other side of the door. So Chimon couldn't reach the rope."

Renora: "Bullshit. The killer could have easily reached the rope. Even if the door couldn't open enough to let a person inside, I'm almost certain that at least an arm could fit through. If it opened enough to let the glass flask fall, then the door can probably open enough to fit an arm through the gap. All the killer would have to do is grab a pair of scissors, reach the arm around the door, and cut the rope on the other side."

Sashi: "Oh. I didn't even think about that. That's certainly possible."

Renjiro: "I knew it! The killer is Chimon after all!"

Nori: "I'm sorry Chimon, but if I'm going to suspect anyone, it's going to be you. Unless there's conclusive evidence to prove your innocence, I'm going to vote for you. I just don't want to suspect any more of my friends."

Gyo Shin: "You better admit it now Chimon, or you're going to forever stay guilty until your execution."

Chimon: "What did I tell you people about accusing others based on personality? There's no evidence that proves I'm guilty!"

Akina: "But out of all the three suspects, you are the most likely. You were the closest to the crime scene and hid the fact that you could have easily entered through the trapped door."

Chimon: "I didn't hide it. I just didn't think about the fact that the rope could have been cut with scissors, just like Sashi. Besides, I didn't even know about the trapped door until Sashi brought it up. While the door was trapped, it was pitch black in the warehouse. I know because as soon as I returned to the warehouse, the door was closed and locked."

Doryo: "As if we're going to believe you! I'm voting for this guy right now! Everyone with me!"

Chimon: "Stop it! You're going to kill everyone if you go through with this!"

Chiyo: "You're trying to guilt trip everyone into not voting for you. But I can easily see just by looking at you that you're the killer. I'm tired of this trial already! I just want to vote for an asshole like you, so I don't have to see a friend like Renjiro or Naeko die instead! Not that they would die of course, because they're obviously innocent."

Yemon: "The hallway vent was really high up, so I don't think Renjiro could have reached it even if he used some kind of tool. You can easily use a rope to climb down but using it to climb up is basically impossible."

Sashi: "Hold on everyone. Aren't we rushing things a bit too much here? We don't know for sure whether Chimon is guilty yet."

Renora: "Well nobody has provided concrete evidence that Chimon is innocent, so I'm not going to believe in his innocence."

Everyone seems to think Chimon is guilty. But I don't have any evidence to prove he's innocent. The only proof I could think of turned out to be meaningless. If there really isn't any evidence to back him up, does that mean he really is the blackened? No, I refuse to believe it. I don't know why, but I have a distinct feeling that Chimon is telling the truth. It's true that he can be kind of an asshole at times, but I have a feeling that if he were to murder someone, he would have done it a long time ago. The motive in this case doesn't seem like something that would easily convince him to kill. Someone who's so concerned for survival wouldn't kill in a plan that makes easily makes them look suspicious. It's like he would be trying to get executed. Deep down in my heart, I don't think Chimon is as bad as a person as he seems. He called out Doryo for being a coward the other day, and he really helped us during both the last class trial and this one. So, I believe without a doubt that Chimon is innocent. But it's not just my misguided sentimentalism. I looked at all the suspects and came up with a conclusion on who the culprit is based on all the evidence. And that culprit is not him. But if there's no evidence currently that proves he's innocent, then I just have to make some up! That's right, I need to lie in order to provide evidence that shows he's innocent! If I don't do something, everyone is going to die! And I can't let that happen, even if I have to use extreme methods!

Sashi: "I'll reveal the truth."

PERJURY

Sashi: "I'm so sorry everyone!"

Nori: "Huh? What for Sashi?"

Sashi: "I forgot to mention something very important! Something that proves that Chimon is innocent!"

Chimon: "What?"

Sashi: "I should have remembered earlier, but while I was searching for Fudoki, I looked inside the building for a brief time, and I saw Chimon leave the darkened warehouse. So, the idea that he left the warehouse because of a blackout is true after all! And this was only a couple of minutes after the search began, so he wouldn't have enough time to tamper with the crime scene!"

Yemon: "Sashi, what the hell are you doing? Because weren't you..."

Sashi: "Shush Yemon. I'll talk about it later."

Akina: "What the hell are you two whispering about?"

Sashi: "Nothing important. I just had to remind Yemon that I already told him about it earlier. I think he forgot as well."

Renora: "Are you seriously telling me you forgot something this important? Bullshit. You always keep track of all the evidence and witness testimonies in these trials. You were hiding this from us, weren't you?"

Sashi: "I'm so sorry everyone. I just thought nobody would believe me if I said the truth. I just figured I need to try to prove Chimon's innocence with evidence than rely on my unprovable testimony."

Chimon: "You seriously hid this from me this whole time!? I could have easily been proven innocent as soon as the trial began, but instead you wait until everyone is about to vote me as the killer to tell us this! I thought I was going to die along with everyone else for a second!"

Sashi: "I'm sorry Chimon. I just didn't think anyone would believe me."

Yemon: "I believe you Sashi."

Oh. It seems Yemon understands what I'm trying to get at here. Because he knows I was searching the gym with him and Emnei the entire time.

Emnei: "Same. I also believe you!"

Looks like Emnei also understands.

Chiyo: "I'll believe Sashi. She never lies when it comes to stuff like this. Besides, she just doesn't seem like that kind of person."

Chimon: "I'm going to assume you're telling the truth because I did indeed leave the warehouse due to a blackout. But don't hide anything like this ever again, you hear me?"

Sashi: "I apologize deeply. I won't do it ever again."

Renjiro: "It seems like Chimon really is innocent this time. That is rather unfortunate though."

Chimon: "What? Did you want me to die?"

Renjiro: "Better you than anyone else. Besides Doryo of course."

Doryo: "You should honestly stop talking shit about me, because we all know you're a huge coward. You demanded that we fight at the gym the other day, except you never came. Because you were too much of a pussy to fight me!"

Chimon: "Shut the fuck up Doryo. Everyone hates you and everything that comes out of your mouth. Unless you have something worthwhile to say, stay silent."

Renjiro: "I guess that's at least something we can agree on."

Chiyo: "Anyways. We know now that Chimon is innocent, so that only leaves Naeko and Renjiro. How we will find out who's the killer?"

Sashi: "I think we need to figure out how the killer reached the storeroom. That will tell us who the culprit is."

NON-STOP DEBATE START

TRUTH BULLETS:

1) ROPE

2) EXTENSION CORD

3) VENT

4) NAILS

5) STEP LADDER

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

. Emnei: "How did the killer enter the storeroom?"

. Gyo Shin: "Maybe they ^entered through the trapped door^..."

. Gyo Shin: "while Chimon briefly left the warehouse."

. Akina: "Or maybe they ^entered through the library vent^?"

. Naeko: "I know what you're implying."

. Naeko: "I already told you that ^I'm not the culprit^!"

. Yemon: "Maybe the culprit ^entered through the hallway vent^."

. Chiyo: "Isn't the vent too high to reach?"

. Yemon: "Not if you use some kind of tool."

. Renjiro: "Are you saying I'm the culprit Yemon?"

. Yemon: "I don't think you're guilty..."

. Yemon: "I'm just throwing out possibilities."

. Renjiro: "I already told you that ^I'm not the culprit^."

How did the killer enter through the storeroom? Figuring out this question will make the culprit's identity very clear.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sashi: "I agree with that!"

BREAK

Sashi: "Correctamundo Akina. The killer entered through the library vent."

Nori: "But isn't the vent too high to reach?"

Chimon: "Did you already forget that there's a step ladder in the library?"

Nori: "Oh yeah."

Sashi: "The step ladder is definitely what the killer used to enter the library. I know this because there's footprints on it. Footprints due to layers of dust forming the steps. They stepped on this ladder while trying to reach the library!"

Emnei: "Hold on. Does this mean what I think it means?"

Sashi: "Huh? .................... Gasp!"

Chimon: "It seems like you already know who the killer is."

Chiyo: "Who's the killer?"

If the killer entered through the library vent, then there seems to be only one possible suspect. I should know who this killer is. I need to reveal their identity once and for all.

SELECT SOMEONE

CORRECT ANSWER: NAEKO ENNOSUKE

Sashi: "It has to be you."

DECIDE

Sashi: "Naeko, is it you?"

Naeko: "What on earth are you talking about? How many times do I have to tell you people!? I'm not the culprit!"

Nori: "Wait. I thought Naeko was already proven innocent hours ago. How can he be the culprit?"

Sashi: "There was no conclusive evidence that proves he was innocent. The main thing that proves his innocence, his alibi, was proven to be irrelevant."

Akina: "But don't you think it would be too obvious for Naeko to be the culprit?"

Naeko: "Exactly! How stupid do you think I am!? I am the Ultimate Mad Scientist, not the Ultimate Mad Fool! Do you honestly think I would choose poisoning out of all the methods to kill people, and specifically make the poison in my lab? Not to mention, take a poison that had its label removed and place it at the crime scene? Am I trying to look suspicious here!?"

Sashi: "Yes."

Naeko: "What are you saying 'yes' to?"

Sashi: "Your entire plan from the beginning was to make yourself look as suspicious as possible. You chose poisoning specifically because it points to you as the culprit."

Renjiro: "I'm so confused. Why would he do that? Is he trying to get executed?"

Sashi: "No. Quite the opposite actually. He tried to look so suspicious that we would think it would be too obvious for him to be the blackened. We thought the killer would never try to do something that puts so much suspicion on themselves. However, that was the trap. That was what the killer wanted us to think. They wanted us to think that the culprit would never use a murder method that directly ties into their ultimate talent. They purposely made the answer obvious so we would overlook it! They were trying to make themselves seem like they were the framed party! After all, Marika was the least obvious suspect in the previous case, and she turned out to be guilty and had framed the most obvious suspects."

Chimon: "It's a pretty clever plan, not going to lie. Instead of putting suspicion away from you, you put suspicion towards you. Fooled me at first."

Naeko: "Regardless of what the culprit's plan is, why are you suspecting me?"

Emnei: "Isn't it obvious? Because the killer had to have entered the library vent and guess who was investigating the library at the time. It was you."

Naeko: "How badly do you all want to die!? Because if you keep accusing me, then I will poison this entire room with a toxic gas!"

Monopup: "Hold on now. Killing more than two people is against the rules. Don't even think about pulling a stunt like that!"

Monokuma: "Monopup, how fucking stupid are you? Do you honestly think Naeko is telling the truth? He probably doesn't even have a chemical weapon on him."

Monopup: "Really? He was lying?"

Monokuma: "Yes. Now shut up or else you're fired!"

Monopup: "Sorry boss."

Naeko: "Do you all not realize who I am!? I am the Ultimate Mad Scientist! Everyone runs in fear once they even see me!"

Renora: "Naeko, drop the act. We can all see through your façade. Threatening people with your false persona isn't going to absolve you of suspicion."

Naeko: "Fine. You want me to tell me everything that is wrong with your theory? Fine then! I'll tell you exactly why your accusation is complete bullshit!"

NON-STOP DEBATE START

1) CHEMISTRY TEXTBOOK

2) USED LAB EQUIPMENT

3) CHEMISTRY LAB SHELF

4) EMPTY BOTTLE

5) BROKEN FLASK

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

. Naeko: "There are several problems with your theory."

. Naeko: "First, regarding the intoxicide flask..."

. Naeko: "^I didn't even make it^."

. Naeko: "Second of all..."

. Naeko: "how do you even know I investigated the library?"

. Naeko: "The only person who saw me in there was Chimon."

. Naeko: "He could of ^lied about the whole thing^."

. Emnei: "But didn't you literally confirm you were searching there earlier?"

. Naeko: "I was just trying to make a point."

. Naeko: "If I did investigate the library..."

. Naeko: "There's *no proof I went to the warehouse*."

. Chimon: "What would I have to gain by lying?"

. Naeko: "Because ^you could be the culprit^."

. Chimon: "Sashi already proved that I'm innocent."

. Naeko: "Lastly, before I even went to the library..."

. Naeko: "they could *have entered through the vent*."

. Naeko: "And right after I left the library..."

. Naeko: "they exited through the vent."

. Naeko: "So stop accusing me mortals!"

Naeko is making a lot of points. His argument is huge, but that shouldn't intimate me. What's important is whether any of his points are correct, or incorrect.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sashi: "I agree with that!"

BREAK

Sashi: "Actually, Naeko might be right about one thing."

Chimon: "What are you talking about? You just accused him of being the killer, and now you're agreeing with him?"

Sashi: "Don't misunderstand me. I'm not saying that Naeko's innocent. But just because he's guilty doesn't mean all of his points are wrong."

Akina: "Can you just get to the point?"

Sashi: "In Naeko's lab are textbooks all based on the subject of chemistry. What's interesting is that one of them was facing the wrong side."

Gyo Shin: "Facing the wrong side?"

Sashi: "One of the chemistry textbooks was flipped a different way then the other books. Specifically, the book was facing forward instead of backward."

Renjiro: "So what? What does that prove?"

Yemon: "What was interesting about this textbook is that there was a chemical stain on one of these pages. Specifically, the page that talks about how to make intoxicide poisoning. Now what could that possibly mean?"

Chiyo: "I guess the killer was following instructions on that textbook while making the poison. While they were experimenting, they accidentally spilled some chemical on the page, leaving a stain."

Sashi: "Exactly. Which proves that Naeko absolutely could not have made this poison."

Emnei: "Sorry Sashi, but I don't see your point. How would that prove that Naeko didn't make the poison? I mean, he's the culprit. If he's the culprit, then he should have made the intoxicide poison."

Chimon: "Naeko is the Ultimate Chemical Scientist though. You think someone with advance chemical knowledge and has likely done several experiments in the past would make such a silly mistake? Spilling chemicals like that just makes them look like an amateur."

Yemon: "Not to mention, if they were the Ultimate Chemical Scientist, they wouldn't need a textbook in the first place. Opening the textbook could leave crinkles on the pages, making it more likely that someone would notice that someone opened to the page where intoxicide poison was made. Not to mention it would risk a stain getting on it. Not like they would spill in the first place, but just in case."

Naeko: "Even if I did follow the instructions using the textbook, you think I would face the textbook the wrong way like that? That just brings attention to it!"

Emnei: "Okay, I think I get your point now. But there's no doubt that the killer used intoxicide poison to kill the victim, so what does this mean? Who made the poison?"

Who did make the poison? If it's not Naeko, who is it? And how would Naeko gain access to the poison if he didn't make it?

Question: Who made the intoxicide poison?

A) Naeko

B) Fudoki

C) A third party

CORRECT ANSWER: B

Sashi: "That must be it."

Sashi: "I-It has to be Fudoki. There's no one else that could have made the poison."

Doryo: "Are you fucking stupid!? He's the victim, you know!"

Chimon: "Why does it matter if he's the victim? Are you fucking stupid?"

Chiyo: "But Naeko was the one who used the intoxicide flask, not Fudoki."

Renora: "I guess Fudoki was originally planning to use the poison, but it was stolen away by Naeko."

Gyo Shin: "But literally anyone other than Naeko could have made the poison. Why did you bring up Fudoki?"

Sashi: "Because otherwise there would be no explanation on how Naeko obtained the poison. Like Renora said, the killer had to have stolen it away from him. Since the killer was trying to kill Fudoki, he could have easily taken the poison from his hands. If Naeko obtained the poison from anyone else, I'm pretty sure they would testify to the fact."

Nori: "Isn't it possible the killer just had an accomplice that made the poison?"

Emnei: "I highly doubt it. In this case, an accomplice isn't necessary for the plan to work. Not to mention there's no reason for an accomplice to help out the murder anyways if they're not the killer."

Yemon: "But why did Fudoki make this poison?"

Renjiro: "Don't tell me! Does it mean what I think it means!?"

Why did Fudoki make the poison? No matter how upsetting the answer is, I have to figure it out.

HANGMAN'S GAMBIT START

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

AVILABLE LETTERS: T M E I D C S A U K P

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CORRECT ANSWER: ATTEMPT SUICIDE

Sashi: "I see now!"

COMPLETE

Sashi: "~!!!"

I was completely shocked. The idea of Fudoki committing suicide completely slipped my mind. But why would he do something so awful to himself? I thought he wanted to survive with everyone else.

Nori: "Is something wrong Sashi?"

Sashi: "I just realized something horrifying. The reason Fudoki made the poison, was because he was trying to commit suicide!"

Renjiro: "Phew. I thought Fudoki was trying to kill someone...... Wait....... WHAAAATTTTT!!! That's not any better!"

Yemon: "Why would he do something like that!? I refuse, I refuse to believe it!"

Sashi: "First of all, I don't think he was planning to kill someone. The trapped door was Naeko's idea rather than Fudoki's. So Fudoki would have no way of killing someone without sniffing in the deadly gas. In that case, there's only one possibility. He was trying to commit suicide!"

Chiyo: "Why!? Why though!? In that case, was he not even upset that he was murdered!?"

Sashi: "I don't know what he was thinking before he died, so I can't answer that question. However, the evidence speaks for itself. Fudoki was attempting suicide...!"

Yemon: "I'M NOT TAKING THAT ANSWER!!!"

Why is Yemon so upset? I thought he would be agreeing with me since we investigated together.

Yemon: "You're telling me that Fudoki was trying to commit suicide!? That's unacceptable!"

Sashi: "But there was no one else who could have made the poison. If he wasn't trying to attempt suicide, why would he make the poison?"

Yemon: "It's because your entire reasoning was wrong from the start! I'm going to tell you exactly why you're wrong!"

REBUTTAL SHOWDOWN START

TRUTH BLADES:

1) EMPTY BOTTLE

2) USED LAB EQUIPMENT

3) GYO SHIN'S ACCOUNT

4) BROKEN FLASK

5) CHEMISTRY TEXTBOOK

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

. Yemon: "I refuse to believe that Fudoki would try to kill himself!"

. Yemon: "He had *no reason to do something like that*!"

. Yemon: "This is all the killer's doing..."

. Yemon: "so stop bringing up the victim into this!"

. Yemon: "If anyone made the intoxicide poison..."

. Yemon: "*it has to be an accomplice*!"

ADVANCE

Sashi: "But there's no benefit from an accomplice working with Naeko. It seems more likely that the poison was made by the victim himself!"

. Yemon: "You don't fucking know that!"

. Yemon: "Maybe the accomplice had a reason to cooperate!"

. Yemon: "There's *no evidence that Fudoki made the poison*!"

. Yemon: "There's also *no evidence that Fudoki tried to commit suicide*!"

. Yemon: "There's *no evidence that an accomplice wasn't involved*!"

. Yemon: "In the end, you have no evidence to back up your claims!"

. Yemon: "So stop with your mindless accusations!"

Yemon really doesn't like the idea of Fudoki attempting suicide. I know it doesn't seem like an answer one could easily swallow, but it's still the correct answer. I just need to show him the evidence.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sashi: "I'LL CUT THROUGH YOUR WORDS!!!"

BREAK

Sashi: "I'm sorry Yemon, but there is evidence to support my claim."

Yemon: "What?"

Sashi: "Apparently, Gyo Shin spotted Fudoki entering the warehouse and acting suspicious. Isn't that right Gyo Shin?"

Gyo Shin: "Yep. I saw that he had something bulging out of his pocket. When I asked him about it, he started acting suspicious and tried to hide it with his hand."

Nori: "Wait? Are you telling me Fudoki was hiding a boner!?"

Gyo Shin: "........."

Sashi: "......."

Nori: "......"

Yemon: "...Um, Nori? Now is probably not the best time for jokes like that."

Nori: "Oh. Sorry."

Gyo Shin: "I couldn't tell exactly what kind of object he had in his pocket, but Fudoki definitely didn't want anyone seeing it. He also seemed to be in a hurry and refused to give a legitimate answer of why he was going to the warehouse."

Renora: "How does this relate to Fudoki attempting suicide?"

Sashi: "Would of what he was hiding in his pocket was the intoxicide flask? That would explain his suspicious behavior and why he tried to hide what was in his pocket. He didn't want anyone to know that he was going to kill himself because they would have surely stopped him."

Renjiro: "Well he was kind of stopped in the end. This time by the real culprit."

Yemon: "That's only a possibility! You don't know what Fudoki was hiding in his pocket! It could have been anything!"

Nori: "I refuse to believe this either!"

Chiyo: "Fudoki would have no reason to commit suicide!"

Chimon: "There is a lot of evidence stacked up behind this theory, so it's kind of hard to deny."

Naeko: "Fudoki was kind of acting sort of depressed lately, so I can unfortunately see him doing something like this."

Emnei: "I'm going to agree with Sashi. There was no one else that could have made the poison."

Monokuma: "LOOKS LIKE ITS TIME FOR A DEBATE!"

Monokuma: "I was waiting for this! I was waiting for another debate to start! I'm so pumped up! In a situation where everyone is split up, a debate scrum is necessary!"

Question: Was Fudoki trying to commit suicide?

No, he was not: Yemon, Nori, Chiyo, Doryo, Gyo Shin, Renjiro

Yes, he was: Sashi, Emnei, Tetsu, Naeko, Renora, Chimon, Akina

Key Words:

Sashi: Suicide

Emnei: Flask

Renora: Textbook

Chimon: Victim

Naeko: Pocket

Akina: Accomplice

DEBATE SCRUM START

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nori: "Fudoki was murdered, so the victim can't be involved!"

Sashi: "Chimon!"

Chimon: "Just because Fudoki was murdered, doesn't mean he wasn't initially trying to commit suicide."

Chiyo: "Just because there's a stain on the textbook, doesn't mean that Naeko couldn't have made the poison."

Sashi: "Renora!"

Renora: "I guess. But why would Naeko use a textbook in the first place? He wouldn't need to with his advanced chemical knowledge."

Gyo Shin: "Couldn't the killer just have had an accomplice? They could have made the poison."

Sashi: "Akina!"

Akina: "Have you even been listening? There's no reason for an accomplice to cooperate, so unless there's evidence that suggests otherwise, we shouldn't take that into account."

Doryo: "I don't know shit about chemistry, but didn't Naeko use the flask? In that case, he had to have made the poison in order to put it into the flask."

Sashi: "Emnei!"

Emnei: "Just because the killer used the flask doesn't mean that he specifically prepared it. He could have just stolen it off the victim."

Renjiro: "Gyo Shin doesn't even know what Fudoki had in his pocket, so you can't prove that the flask was in there."

Sashi: "Naeko!"

Naeko: "But what else would be in his pocket? If you don't have any other ideas, than it has to be the flask."

Yemon: "I refuse to believe this! There's no reason for Fudoki to commit suicide!"

Sashi: "What makes you say that? You don't know Fudoki's mindset, so you can't say he wouldn't commit suicide."

Some people don't want to believe that Fudoki would commit suicide. If I don't convince them that I'm correct, we'll never move forward in this trial.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FULL COUNTER

Sashi, Naeko, Akina, Renora, Chimon, and Emnei: "This is our answer!"

BREAK

Sashi: "I know the answer is hard to accept, but it's the only correct one. Fudoki sadly tried and failed to commit suicide."

Yemon: "...............If that's what everyone agrees on, then I have no choice but to accept it. Besides, the true killer would probably know the answer to this question anyways."

Nori: "Damn, that sucks."

Chimon: "Speaking of, we were trying to finger Naeko as the culprit, remember?"

Naeko: "I'm not the culprit! I didn't even make the poison, so how can I be the killer! In the end, the victim committed suicide! I had nothing to do with it!"

Akina: "It seemed like you tried to put suspicion towards Naeko, but only ended up putting suspicion away from him. Good job Sashi."

Sashi: "I was just saying that Naeko was correct regarding the poison. He's still suspicious!"

Emnei: "But we still haven't gathered any concrete evidence that proves his guilt. A lot of his points were valid, so there's still a possibility he's innocent. Like he said, someone else could have entered the vent before him."

Sashi: "In that case, I just need to present the proof that shows that you are guilty!"

Naeko: "Pfft. As if you even have anything like that."

NON-STOP DEBATE START

TRUTH BULLETS:

1) EMPTY BOTTLE

2) SPLIT SEARCH

3) VENT

4) TRAPPED DOOR

5) BROKEN FLASK

6) ROPE

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

. Naeko: "If Fudoki prepared the glass flask..."

. Naeko: "Then ^he committed suicide^."

. Naeko: "I had ^nothing to do with this^."

. Chimon: "But just because Fudoki prepared the poison..."

. Chimon: "doesn't mean you didn't use it in the end."

. Chimon: "You could have stolen the poison from his hands."

. Naeko: "In that case..."

. Naeko: "there *should have been signs of a struggle*."

. Naeko: "However, *there was nothing like that*."

. Naeko: "In the end, you have..."

. Naeko: "*no evidence that proves my guilt*."

. Naeko: "So shut up before I kill you with a chemical bomb!"

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sashi: "NO, THAT'S WRONG!"

BREAK

Sashi: "Actually, there is evidence that proves your guilt."

Naeko: "Like what?"

Sashi: "The troquil bottle you took from your lab."

Naeko: "This again? Are you saying that I took the bottle just because it had no label on it? I'm sorry, but that was already brought up hours ago. The killer could have just taken a bottle at random. That doesn't prove I'm the killer!"

Sashi: "But I would hardly call it a coincidence. Troquil isn't just any poison. It's a poison that both can only be consumed as a liquid and causes instant death. This poison is extremely unique, and very convenient for the culprit. A bottle like this easily gives into the idea that Fudoki committed suicide. Are you really sure a poison like this being taken is really a coincidence? There is no way it was taken at random."

Renora: "But couldn't the killer have just read up on troquil poisoning in the chem lab? That way they would know what they were grabbing."

Sashi: "Alright then. Naeko, are any of these textbooks different from one another?"

Naeko: "What kind of question is that? The answer is no by the way. For some reason, Monokuma just placed a bunch of copies of the same book in the shelves."

Monokuma: "Well this did use to be a school after all. It makes sense why there would be multiple kinds of the same book. These textbooks were used in chemistry classes!"

Chiyo: "What are you getting at Sashi?"

Sashi: "Monokuma I have a question. If a piece of evidence is mandatory in order to prove who the killer is, is it okay if we leave the class trial in order to get it and show it to everyone?"

Monokuma: "I'll allow it. But only if you can prove exactly why this piece of evidence is mandatory to this case. This is a trial after all. It wouldn't be fair if people weren't allowed to present evidence in court. You only get this one chance, however, so make sure you know what you're doing."

Monopup: "Should you really be making such a major decision so easily? I thought participation in all class trials was mandatory. I didn't think you would let people leave so easily."

Monokuma: "Well the culprit is about to be proven guilty, which I can't wait to see! As far as I can tell, obtaining evidence outside the courtroom is not against the rules as long as they return immediately afterwards."

Sashi: "Alright Naeko. Do you claim that this textbook contains info about troquil poison?"

Naeko: "Of course it does! It's meant for the Ultimate Chemical Scientist! Of course it would contain information on every poison that exists!"

Sashi: "That's interesting, because while I was looking at the textbook, I went to the table of continents and I don't remember seeing anything related to troquil."

Naeko: "You probably just forgot! You only looked at the textbook for a brief time! You didn't look through the entire thing!"

Sashi: "In that case, Monokuma can I grab a textbook from Naeko's lab real quick? I need to see if any info on troquil poison is in there."

Chimon: "That won't be necessary."

Chimon suddenly brought a chemistry textbook from under his stand. It was as if he was hiding it the whole time, waiting for the right moment to bring it up.

Chimon: "I figured something like this would happen, so I brought evidence just in case. So Naeko, if you aren't the culprit, are you okay with me skimming through this textbook really quick?"

Naeko: "W-W-What!?"

Chimon: "What's wrong Naeko? I just asked you a simple question. Yes or no; can I skim through this textbook?"

Naeko: "Why is this necessary? I mean come on guys. It's obvious that the container was just grabbed by coincidence."

Akina: "I'm not betting my lives on a 'coincidence'."

Chimon: "If you aren't the culprit, then why won't you let me read this textbook? If there really is info on troquil poisoning, then you would just say 'yes'."

Naeko: "F-Fine! Do what you want!"

Chimon: "Alrighty then."

Chimon quickly flipped through the pages of the textbook for a long time until finally, he reached the end.

Chimon: "I searched through the entire thing. There was no info on troquil poison whatsoever."

Naeko: "~!"

Chiyo: "In that case, only Naeko would know what was inside the container!"

Naeko: "H-He's just lying! I'm not the culprit, he is! He lied in order to put the blame on me!"

Sashi: "But I already proved he was innocent earlier. If anyone is putting blame on other people, it's you."

Naeko: "Then maybe it's Tetsu! I heard that she helped remove the labels for the chemicals! In that case, she would remember which container is which! In that case, s-she's the culprit!"

Tetsu: "What!? I'm not the culprit, I swear! I don't even remember anything about the containers in question!"

Naeko: "Oh, so now you decide to talk. When people put the blame on you, you start panicking! How suspicious."

Nori: "Tetsu has an alibi. She was talking with me for almost an hour. She wouldn't have any time to go to the storeroom. I know, because I was waiting for her to come out of her room."

Emnei: "Stop accusing people that are obviously innocent. It just makes you look even more suspicious."

Naeko: "..................AHAHA! AHAHAHA! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"

Yemon: "What are you laughing about now?"

Naeko: "I guess it's time to confess everything! You better open your earholes mortals! I'll tell you everything about the Ultimate Mad Scientist's evil plan!"

Renjiro: "Wait, is he already confessing to the murder? That was rather anticlimactic."

Naeko: "You were correct about a lot of things. Yes, I was the one who took the troquil poison! I was also the one who entered the storeroom and tampered with the crime scene! I also hit Fudoki on the head with a baseball bat!"

Gyo Shin: "Then why won't you just admit it already?"

Naeko: "However, there was one thing you were incorrect about. In the end, I did not actually murder Fudoki. Fudoki committed suicide with the intoxicide glass flask."

Emnei: "Doesn't that contradict everything you just said?"

Naeko: "No it does not. I never once mentioned me killing Fudoki. It's true that I took the poison and tampered with the crime scene, but I didn't murder Fudoki."

Chimon: "If you didn't murder him, then why did you do that?"

Naeko: "Isn't it obvious, I was trying to fabricate evidence."

Akina: "Fabricate evidence!?"

Naeko: "You see. A lot of the evidence you found was a lie. The rope had nothing to do with the door being trapped. I just placed it there to make you think that way! That's also why I placed the nails into the walls! I hit Fudoki on the head with a baseball bat to make you think he was knocked out and moved to the storeroom by the real killer! I also only went to the crime scene once! I only entered the storeroom during the split search, where I entered and exited through the library vent! The extension cord left in the hallway, that was also a diversion! In the end, it wasn't just the empty bottle that was a lie! Everything was a lie!"

Sashi: "But why would you do something like that if you're not the culprit?"

Naeko: "Isn't it obvious, I was trying to make myself look like the killer! That's why the evidence was so obviously pointed towards me! I wasn't trying to make people vote for someone else, I was actually trying to get them to vote for me! But Fudoki committed suicide, so in the end, I didn't actually kill anyone! So, everyone, including me, would be executed right now! AHAHAHAHA!!!"

Chiyo: "What? Why would you do something like that?"

Nori: "What the fuck is your problem, Naeko!?"

Naeko: "I'm the Ultimate Mad Scientist, so it's obvious that I'm an evil and twisted person! That's why I tried to have everyone executed! I don't care about my own life, as long as I get to make everyone suffer in pain and misery! AHAHAHAHAHA!!!"

I see what Naeko is doing. He's trying to trick us. He realizes that we've cornered him, so he tried to confess under a false narrative of what actually happened in order to make us arrive at the wrong conclusion. Damn, that dirty bastard! I hope he has a good reason for doing this, because even Marika wouldn't have done something like this! But Naeko is obviously lying right now, so I need to show why what he is saying is a lie.

Sashi: "Don't worry everyone. Naeko is trying to trick us. Fudoki didn't actually commit suicide. He's just trying to make us vote for Fudoki so he can escape alone! Don't fall into his trap!

Nori: "Wait, he's still hiding something from us!?"

Renora: "You fucking bastard! You tricked us!"

Gyo Shin: "I'm honestly happy that you're getting executed at this point!"

Yemon: "That might be going a bit too far."

Naeko: "What!? I'm telling the truth, I swear! All I'm trying to do is confess my crime, and you still don't believe me! I told you, I'M THE ULTIMATE MAD SCIENTIST!!! I didn't kill anyone to try to escape! I'm just trying to get everyone killed! There's no sympathetic cause! In the end, Fudoki committed suicide and I tried to hide it! If you're really so sure that I'm the culprit, present your fucking proof!"

This is Naeko's last argument. I need to break through his lies and present the real truth! The real truth that no one can deny or argue with!

ARGUMENT ARMAMENT START

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PHASE 1:

"I'm telling the truth!"

"I didn't kill anyone!"

"I fabricated all the evidence..."

"in order to have everyone executed!"

"But in the end..."

"Fudoki committed suicide!"

PHASE 2:

"I'm the Ultimate Mad Scientist!"

"There's nothing sympathetic about me!"

"I'm just an evil person!"

"This has nothing to do with the motive!"

"I'm doing this just because I can!"

"I have no desire to escape!"

PHASE 3:

"Stop arguing against me!"

"Just let me confess already!"

"You're really starting to make me angry!"

"Are you seriously trying to piss off the Ultimate Mad Scientist!?"

"Do you have a death wish!?"

"I'LL KILL YOU!!!"

FINAL BLOW!

"Where's your proof that Fudoki's death wasn't a suicide!?"

W: DIED

A: FUDOKI

S: LATE

D: TOO

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FUDOKI DIED TOO LATE

Sashi: "It ends here!"

Naeko: "AHHHHHHHH!"

BREAK

Sashi: "If Fudoki's death was really a suicide, then why did he die so late?"

Naeko: "What on earth are you talking about?"

Sashi: "I'm talking about the fact that Fudoki was knocked out before he died."

Naeko: "Bullshit! I hit Fudoki in the head after he was already dead!"

Sashi: "But the last time Fudoki was seen was 7:30 AM. Isn't that correct Gyo Shin?"

Gyo Shin: "Yes. That is when I witnessed Fudoki enter the warehouse."

Sashi: "However, the time of death was 8:45 AM. How do you explain this time difference!?"

Naeko: "Maybe he was just hesitant to commit suicide!"

Sashi: "You really think I'm going to believe that he took over an hour to kill himself using a method that causes instant death! He had plenty of times before hand to stop what he was doing! In reality, he died so much later after he went to the warehouse because he was knocked out for a long time by the real culprit!"

Chimon: "If Fudoki committed suicide, then why did you knock him out before hand? It makes no sense."

Emnei: "Not to mention. If he just woke up after being knocked out for a long time, I'm pretty sure his first thought would be to immediately get out of the scene rather than commit suicide. He doesn't know what the killer is planning after all. He highly doubt that he would let himself stay in an area where a murderer might be leaking nearby. Even if he really wanted to die, I don't think he would let himself get murdered. Because that would put everyone's lives at stake in the class trial."

Sashi: "So Naeko, are you really going to say you're innocent now?"

Naeko: "AHHHHHHH!!! I refuse! I refuse to confess anything! Fudoki's the killer, not me!"

Sashi: "If you're still going to claim your innocence, then I will force you to confess. I'm going to go over everything that happened in this case. Once I reveal the truth of your crime, you can't play innocent anymore."

CLOSING ARGUMENT START

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sashi: "This is the truth of the case!"

DANGANRONPA

ACT 1

Sashi: "This case began with not the killer, but the victim. That's right, the first things that happened in this case were carried out by the victim. That's because for unknown reasons, Fudoki was trying to commit suicide! I still don't know why he would do something so horrible to himself, but I can't deny what actually happened. In order to kill himself, Fudoki was trying to get a poison from Naeko's lab. However, he knew that all the labels for the poisons were removed because he helped me and Tetsu remove them earlier. So instead of taking a risk and grabbing a random container that he's unsure about, he decided to make a poison from scratch. He first grabbed a textbook and skimmed through it in order to obtain information on certain poisons and how to make them. As he looked through the textbook, he finally decided to make intoxicide, a poison that causes instant death when inhaled as a gas. However, during his experiment, he accidentally spilled some sort of chemical on the textbook page he was reading. This served as both proof that someone was reading and following through this page's instructions, but also that the killer could not have been the one to make the poison. In his experiment, he used a graduated cylinder, test tube, and beaker, which Fudoki all washed afterwards. After he finished his mixture, he dumped it into a glass flask and put the flask into his pocket."

ACT 2

Sashi: "Fudoki decided to head to the warehouse afterwards. I don't know why he chose to kill himself there, but I assume it's because it has a storeroom with a lock on it. He wanted to lock himself up in the storeroom before committing suicide in order to prevent anyone from stopping him. However, just as he was about to enter the warehouse, he was spotted by Gyo Shin, who was lurking in the hallway. When Gyo Shin asked Fudoki what he was doing, he started spitting out obvious lies and acting very suspiciously. Gyo Shin immediately caught on to this, but never further pressed the issue due to it not being any of her business. Unfortunately, if only Gyo Shin tried to press Fudoki more about it and stop him from entering the warehouse, he probably wouldn't have gotten killed. However, there was no way Gyo Shin could know that Fudoki was committing suicide, so that's just me dwelling on the past. Fudoki was about to enter the warehouse but was yet again interrupted by Gyo Shin when she noticed something was in Fudoki's pocket. When she asked Fudoki about it, Fudoki acted even more nervous and quickly ran inside the warehouse. Gyo Shin said she couldn't tell what was in Fudoki's pocket, but now we know that it was actually the glass flask that Fudoki prepared earlier."

ACT 3

Sashi: "Inside the warehouse was the culprit of this case, who noticed that Fudoki had entered the warehouse. I don't know why the killer was lurking inside the warehouse, but I imagine it's because they were already planning a murder and were looking inside the warehouse for tools to use in their plan. The culprit then hit Fudoki in the head with a baseball bat, instantly knocking him unconscious. I imagine this was in the heat of the moment. While the killer's plan was well thought out, there was no way they could predict Fudoki entering the warehouse. After they knocked out Fudoki, they grabbed the glass flask from Fudoki's pocket and put inside their pocket. Finally, they moved Fudoki's body out of the warehouse and into the storeroom."

ACT 4

Sashi: "After the body was moved to the storeroom, the culprit began to set up a trap for the victim. First, they took a nail and shoved into the storeroom wall with a hammer. However, they didn't hammer the nail entirely into the wall. They only shoved the nail slightly into the wall, which caused a good part of nail to stick out. This was crucial to what the killer did next. They then took a rope from the warehouse and tied it around the nail. Next, they tied the other end of the rope to the doorknob of the open storeroom door, tying the doorknob and nail together. This prevented the door from opening or closing significantly, setting up a trap for the victim. Afterwards, the culprit placed the glass flask on top of the door. Since the door could only open slightly, it was able to stand upright on it. When the door is opened, the glass flask falls to the floor, killing anyone who opens it, effectively setting up a death trap. Next the culprit placed an empty troquil bottle from their lab next to the victim's body. However, the bottle had no label on it. The only reason the killer was able to know what was inside, was because they were the Ultimate Chemical Scientist. I imagine they dumped out its contents in a sink before placing it at the scene. This type of poison is special in that it can only be consumed as a liquid and causes instant death. This was used as a diversion to make us think that the victim committed suicide by drinking from this bottle. What's ironic is that the victim was originally trying to attempt suicide, but with the glass flask rather than the empty bottle. Finally, the killer placed boxes on top of each other and climbed them in order to reach the vent, which they then used to escape the scene."

ACT 5

Sashi: "I imagine that the culprit was originally going to exit through the library vent, as it's much lower than the hallway vent, making it easier to jump out of. However, what the killer didn't expect was that Nori and Tetsu were talking in the library. In fear of being witnessed by them, the culprit decided to escape through the hallway vent instead. But in order to do that, they needed to grab an extension cord, a nail, and a hammer. Once they reached the hallway vent, they hammered yet another nail into the wall. Just like last time, the nail was only shoved in slightly, so it still stuck out significantly. They then wrapped the extension cord around the nail and used it as a rope to climb down to the floor. Once they reached the floor, they grabbed the cord and pulled it away from the nail, leaving it on the ground. I'm not sure why the culprit left crucial evidence like that rather than put it away where they found it. I imagine that they wanted to get to the dining hall as fast as possible in order to secure their alibi, since they already took longer than expected, as couldn't leave through the library vent. They probably didn't take the evidence with them in fear of someone seeing it on them, so they decided to leave the cord behind. Before they headed to the dining hall, they decided to do one last thing. They reached the breaker in the hallway and decided to turn off the lights to both the storeroom and the warehouse. This was so the victim wouldn't see their surroundings before opening the door. If the victim could see clearly, they could easily see the glass flask on top of the door and see the trap the killer is trying to pull. After messing with the breaker, they headed back to the dining hall."

ACT 6

Sashi: "While the killer was in the dining hall, the victim woke up after being unconscious for a long time. Probably surprised to how they ended up there, I imagine Fudoki tried to leave the room as quickly as possible. However, as they were fiddling around in the dark, they ended opening the trapped door. This caused the glass flask to fall to the floor and shatter into pieces. As soon as the liquid reached the ground, it turned into a deadly gas. The gas entered Fudoki's nose and instantly killed him. That is how the killer managed to kill Fudoki without actually being at the crime scene."

ACT 7

Sashi: "Once the killer and everyone else reached the dining hall, we began to realize that Fudoki didn't show up. Concerned for his safety, we all began to split up and search for him. However, this is exactly what the killer wanted. They wanted to split up away from everyone else so they could return to the crime scene. And that's exactly what the killer did. They decided to head to the library in order to reach the crime scene through the vent. However, they probably noticed around this time that Chimon had entered the warehouse. Realizing that they can't turn the lights while Chimon is in there in risk of him finding Fudoki's body too early, they decided to wait until Chimon left the warehouse. Since it was too dark for Chimon to investigate, he decided to leave the warehouse for a brief time. Afterwards, the killer turned on the lights for both the warehouse and storeroom so they can do their work there safely. Next, the killer entered the library, which was unfortunately witnessed by Chimon, serving as evidence to finger them as the culprit. In order to reach the vent, they climbed on a step ladder, forming footprints due to dust. Once they reached the vent, they began to make their way to the storeroom."

ACT 8

Sashi: "Once the killer reached the storeroom, they began to get rid of their evidence of their crime. First, they removed the rope tied to the doorknob and threw it onto the floor. Afterwards, they closed the door and locked it from the inside, creating a locked room mystery. Next, they began to gather all the glass shards from the broken flask and toss them in the trash, getting rid of the evidence of the murder weapon. Next, they scrubbed the storeroom floor with soapy water, erasing any traces of poison. Lastly, the killer climbed on top of the boxes to reach the vent once again. But this time, they pushed the boxes off of each other, scattering them all over the place. This was done to hide the fact that they were used to reach the vent. After this, the culprit left through the library vent and went back to the dining hall. They then found Fudoki's body with the rest of us, pretending to be shocked with everyone else. Their scheme was to try to make themselves look as suspicious as possible in order to make us think they're too obvious to be the culprit. This combined with their supposed alibi was an attempt to look like they were being framed by the real killer. This covers the culprit's plan from top to bottom. And the one who is behind it all is......"

Sashi: "Naeko Ennosuke, the Ultimate Chemical Scientist! You killed Fudoki, didn't you!?"

COMPLETE

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sashi: "So how about it Naeko? Did I get anything wrong?"

Naeko: "..............."

Emnei: "We all believe that you're the culprit, so it's pointless to stay silent now. You should confess right here and now."

Naeko: "Fine. You got me. I'm the killer. I murdered Fudoki."

CLASS TRIAL ALLRISE!

TRIAL PHASES:

1\. NON-STOP DEBATE

2\. NON-STOP DEBATE

3\. NON-STOP DEBATE

4\. NON-STOP DEBATE

5\. HANGMAN'S GAMBIT

6\. REBUTTAL SHOWDOWN

7\. LOGIC TEAM

8\. PSYCHE TAXI

9\. NON-STOP DEBATE

10\. MASS PANIC DEBATE

11\. NON-STOP DEBATE

12\. NON-STOP DEBATE

13\. HANGMAN'S GAMBIT

14\. REBUTTAL SHOWDOWN

15\. DEBATE SCRUM

16\. NON-STOP DEBATE

17\. ARGUMENT ARMAMENT

18\. CLOSING ARGUMENT

CLASS TRIAL END

Monokuma: "Since the culprit has already confessed, I'm going to assume that everyone is done debating. Alright then! Look on the screen displayed on your screen. On the screen are the pictures of all the students. Press the student you think is the blackened and press the vote button! The heart-racing excitement as the blackened and the spotless face off! It's... VOTING TIME!!!"

Just like last time, on the screen were the pictures of all the other students. Although I was a bit hesitant, I pressed Naeko's picture and then touched the vote button. After waiting for a bit for everyone else to vote, the screen said "ANNOUCEMENT" and turned black again."

Monokuma: "Puhuhuhu... It seems the voting has finished. Now then, let's see the result."

The tallied votes for everyone was showed on the screen. Next to Naeko were thirteen tallies, which means that just like last time, everyone voted for Naeko, including Naeko himself.

Monokuma: "Who'll be chosen as the blackened!? Will you make the right choice or the dreadfully wrong one!?"

The screen suddenly turned to a wheel with the faces of every student on each section. On top of the middle of the wheel was an arrow. The wheel started to spin rapidly before slowly stopping. It eventually landed with Naeko right on top of the arrow. The screen suddenly started flashing and a small jingle could be heard, which means we voted correctly once again.

Monokuma: "Looks like you guys got it correct once again! The blackened in this case is none other than Naeko Ennosuke!"

Naeko: "......"

Nori: "Why? Why would you do something so awful, Naeko!?"

Sashi: "Please tell us Naeko. And don't try to claim you're just an evil person who killed Fudoki just because they could, because we all know that's not your real reason."

Naeko: "But if I tell you my real reason for committing this crime, you'll all feel bad. You will all be depressed after my execution. Just let me die like the awful killer I am."

Emnei: "We don't care if we end up feeling bad afterwards. We want to hear your reason, no matter how tragic it is. I assure that we will be able to handle your execution. If we can handle Marika's execution, we can get through your execution as well."

Naeko: "........."

Yemon: "Please tell us your real reason for committing this crime."

Renora: "Does it have to do with the motive?"

Chiyo: "The motive? I thought everyone agreed that it was a stupid motive that no one would follow through with."

Renjiro: "But Monokuma said that while this motive may sound stupid to most people, it might be a serious issue for someone else."

Sashi: "Is this a serious issue for you? Is it really that difficult for you to be accepted in the university you want?"

Naeko: "You don't even know the gist of it. To answer your question, yes, I committed murder because of the motive."

Now that I mention it, when I was talking to Naeko one day, he did mention that he really wanted to go to a university due to his poor background and his drug-addicted mother. But is that really his only reason? I feel like there's more to this story that he hasn't already told me.

Chimon: "But why was the motive so important to you?"

Naeko: "I guess I should tell you all a story. A story all about the life of the Ultimate Mad Scientist, Naeko Ennosuke! Sashi already knows a lot about my biography, but there's still a few details I didn't mention to her."

Sashi: "What? Really?"

Nori: "Wait? Do you two know each other!?"

Sashi: "I guess you can say that. He was willing to tell me a lot of personal information."

Naeko: "I'll give a quick summary. Basically, I grew in a very poor neighborhood growing up. We barely had enough food to live by, and crime was rampant where I lived. It was basically a living hell where I grew up."

Yemon: "Is that why you're so desperate to get to a good college? Because your family is poor and can't afford it?"

Naeko: "That is part of it. Please let me finish my story first though. The worst thing about my living conditions wasn't even the lack of clothes, lack of food, or even high crime rate, but my mother. She was a hopeless drug addict, who would prioritize getting high over actually taking care of me. Part of the reason our living conditions were so bad is that she spent a lot of our living savings on drugs. Her drug addiction prevented her from getting a stable job. Often times, she would physically and emotionally abuse me. Her treatment of me was terrible, and deeply hurt my feelings. I often felt depressed, as the only person I should be able to rely on is very abusive. She's my only family though. Which is why I'm desperate to get enough money to treat her at a drug rehabilitation center. Even though I hate her, I still feel the need to help her in order to provide the support she needs. I seriously believed that the cause of her awful behavior was the drugs, not her personality. Because of this, I decided to take long-hour shifts at low-income jobs. Of course my mom spent most of the funds I earned to fuel her drug addiction, but it was still a long and slow journey into getting enough money to support her drug addiction until I can get her rehabilitated. However, even without her drug addiction, she still has no hopes of getting an actual job now, and she's still too poor to substain a healthy life cycle. That is why, getting to the university I want is so important! I don't have enough money to go to a college, but it's important in order to find both a job I'm happy with, and a one with a great enough income to support my family! However, even if I saved as much money as I could, that would never happen."

Sashi: "Huh? I thought you never were planning on giving up. I thought as long as you worked your hardest, you could earn enough money to go to a college."

Naeko: "I lied about that. I didn't tell you the true story."

Sashi: "Why?"

Chiyo: "I feel like I'm missing out on some context here."

Naeko: "There's no chance I will ever be able to apply for a college. Because I didn't graduate high school."

Akina: "Why not? You seem like a pretty smart kid to be the Ultimate Chemical Scientist. Surely your grades would be good enough to graduate."

Naeko: "It's not because my grades weren't good enough. In fact, my grades were almost perfect. The thing is, I was expelled."

Renora: "Expelled!? What for?"

Naeko: "......... You guys wouldn't understand. You would see me as some kind of criminal."

Gyo Shin: "You already killed someone! There's no going back after doing something like that!"

Emnei: "Please tell us Naeko. I'm sure we will understand."

Naeko: "Fine. But please don't see me as some kind of saint. I acknowledge that I committed an unforgivable crime, so try not to justify my actions."

Doryo: "There's no way in hell I'm justifying your actions after you tried to get me executed! Fuck you! I hope you die a horrible death!"

Naeko: "I also don't want to be seen as a devil either. I'm am not truly the Ultimate Mad Scientist. I am Naeko Ennosuke. A person who committed murder, which no matter how tragic my reasons are, will never fully justify my actions. I claim to kill just because I'm evil, but that is not the entire case."

Yemon: "I kind of figured you weren't serious with the evil scientist persona."

Naeko: "You see, while I work at a job 60+ hours a week, it still wasn't enough. Eventually, my mom's drug requirements to fuel her addiction kept getting larger and larger. So, my cash money wasn't enough to support her hedonistic lifestyle. However, I couldn't ignore her drug problems. While she had serious mood swings and temperamental problems when she was high, it was even worse when she was sober. Just not having a line of coke for just two hours was enough to turn her into a raging lunatic. Since my mom knew I couldn't earn enough money, she made me do the unthinkable. You're not going to believe me, but she forced me to break into my high school and steal chemicals from my chemistry teacher's lab."

Renjiro: "WHAT!?!"

Chiyo: "And you just let her do that!? You don't have to listen to your mother, you know!"

Naeko: "I had no choice. I needed to do this for my mother. I wouldn't be able to earn enough money to go to college and support my mother otherwise. Besides, it's not like I could just sit here and take my mother's abuse while she's sober."

Sashi: "So did you actually do it!?"

Naeko: "Yes, multiple times in fact. I stole both chemical equipment and chemicals from the lab shelfs. I then brought them to my home, where I then began to research intensely on the subject of chemistry. If my mom couldn't afford drugs, I would have to make them on the spot!"

Nori: "Would your school even had the stuff to make illegal substances!?"

Naeko: "Surprisingly, it did. Well at least I was able to make sort of hallucinogenic drug out of the supplies given. So that's what I did. I worked my entire life day and night. I went to high school during school days, did my normal job in the late afternoon and evening, and then stayed all night working on my chemical drug experiments. That is how my talent as the Ultimate Chemical Scientist came to life. While it left me completely exhausted, it worked enough to support both the livings of both me and my mother. However, my crimes didn't last for long. Eventually, the school officials found out, and I was instantly expelled. They then called the police on me and my mother."

Emnei: "Really!? Did you and your mother get arrested!?"

Naeko: "I would never let that happen! So, I decided to give up on everything and gather all the few belongings I had! I decided to run away from my home!"

Gyo Shin: "You did what now!?"

Sashi: "So you decided to live homeless on the streets!?"

Naeko: "That's what I did! I ran and ran as far away from my hometown as humanly possible! I ran until I knew the police couldn't chase me anymore! Wherever the hell I ended up in, that's where I decided to live from now on!"

Renora: "Then how did you get accepted in Hope's Peak Academy!? You got expelled from high school and are a wanted criminal!"

Naeko: "That I do not know. I think I have amnesia or something. My last physical memory before coming here was living on the streets. I have no idea how or why I came to this place."

Yemon: "Now that you mention it, none of us have any memory of how or why we got here as well."

Chiyo: "You think we all got amnesia?"

Sashi: "I don't know about that, but I can definitely see why this motive was so crucial to Naeko. You couldn't never go to college due to you being expelled and your criminal record. If Naeko was put in this killing game right after he was living on the streets, even if he somehow escaped, he would still be living in hell. His entire life has gone to waste, so he has no reason to escape unless he can get a stable job. He might die on the streets all things considered."

Naeko: "Like I said, there was no completely justifiable reason for killing Fudoki. However, all the reasons you stated were completely true. While the motive may seem laughable to the average commoner, it's way different for me. I may play the façade of the evil mad scientist, when in reality I am extremely depressed and live a terrible life."

The way Naeko was phrasing it, it seems like he had a really tragic and sympathetic reason for committing murder, but I never expected it to this bad. I know he didn't want me to treat him as a saint and completely sympathize with him, but it's kind of hard after hearing such a sad story.

Emnei: "Naeko..."

Yemon: "I had no idea what you were going through. Now I feel bad voting for you as the culprit."

Naeko: "Don't be so hard on yourself. If you didn't vote for me, everyone else would have died. Would you have really wanted that outcome!?"

Yemon: "No, but..."

Akina: "I think we all get why you committed the murder, but why Fudoki? What did he do to deserve this?"

Naeko: "I wasn't actually originally planning on killing Fudoki. In fact, I don't know if I was really planning on killing anyone at all. I mean after I heard that motive, the thoughts of killing someone kept going through my brain. However, I tried my best to resist the urges. But that didn't stop me from visiting the warehouse to look at all the tools there. I was examining everything there to decide if I should use any of them in my murder plan in case I do end up killing someone. That's when I noticed Fudoki had entered the warehouse."

FLASHBACK

Naeko: "What are you doing here Fudoki?"

Fudoki: "O-Oh! Naeko! Fancy meeting you here."

Naeko: "You didn't answer my question. Why are you acting so weird?"

Fudoki: "W-Weird! I'm not acting weird. I was just taking a walk around the school, examining everything it has to offer."

Naeko: "I thought you already searched the entire school with the rest of us after the last class trial ended."

Fudoki: "Well, it never hurts to double check. You never know what kind of clues you may find. Anyways, can you please leave the warehouse? I need some time alone."

Naeko: "Why do you want to be left alone in the warehouse of all places? This is definitely suspicious Fudoki. I don't know if I should do what you say."

Fudoki: "I just need some time alone, that's all! Why are you being so nosy!?"

Naeko: "I don't know. Maybe it's the fact that we are in a killing game. In this kind of environment, you need to watch out for suspicious behavior."

Fudoki: "Do you think I'm trying to kill someone!?"

Naeko: "I have no idea what you're doing. But I'm definitely not letting you take the chance to do something stupid."

Fudoki: "I don't want to argue about this anymore! Just let me be!"

Fudoki then started to make a run to the storeroom. However, on his way there, I noticed that the glass flask was sticking out of his pocket. Even as he tried to hide it, I could clearly see what it was. Knowing that the flask came from my lab, I instantly know something was off. I thought that the flask might contain a deadly chemical, so I immediately confronted Fudoki about it.

Naeko: "Hold on! Why the hell are you carrying a glass flask from my lab!?"

I immediately ran in front of Fudoki's pathway, preventing him from leaving the warehouse. I instantly grabbed the chemical flask from Fudoki's pocket with little resistance. I looked at the liquid inside and instantly recognized that it was intoxicide.

Fudoki: "H-Hey!? What the hell did you do that for!?"

Naeko: "Intoxicide! Why the hell do you have this in your pocket Fudoki!?! Answer me now!!!"

Fudoki: "N-No reason. Now will you please just give it back to me! I will put it back into your lab, I promise! I just wanted to examine it a bit more!"

Naeko: "I can see right through your lies Fudoki! I'm not letting you go anywhere until you tell why the fuck you are carrying a deadly poison in your pocket!!! Are you really trying to kill someone!?"

Fudoki: "No! I mean yes! Well, in a way!"

Knowing that yelling at him wouldn't get Fudoki to confess, I instead tried to rationalize with him. I attempted to get him to kindly tell me why he was carrying the poison.

Naeko: "Fudoki. Please tell me what you're doing. No matter how much you want to escape, killing someone is never the answer. Just be honest with me. We're friends, aren't we?"

Fudoki: "If I tell you why, you'll definitely try to stop me."

Naeko: "I'll try to stop what you're doing either way, so please tell me what you're planning. I can't help you otherwise."

Fudoki: "I don't need help! Though I will say that I'm honestly not trying to kill another student."

Naeko: "But what other reason is there to carry that poison than to kill another student!? Wait. Don't tell me you're going to kill yourself!"

Fudoki: "~!"

Naeko: "Fudoki, why do you want to commit suicide!? I thought you wanted to escape with everyone else! You were trying your best to change and cooperate with all the other students! What happened to all that!?"

Fudoki: "I probably did really mean it when I said I wanted to change and cooperate with everyone else. However, that didn't mean much in the end in terms of my relationships and overall happiness. Even after I tried to socialize more with other students, I tended to get brushed off by them at best and insulted and bullied at worst. Especially Doryo. Ever since we've started, that's guy has been physically assaulting me and making threats towards me! He's called me all sorts of awful nicknames! He's honestly just the worst!"

Naeko: "But everyone feels that way about Doryo, not just you. He bullies everyone."

Fudoki: "But what's the worst about him, as that he's just as bad, if not worse than the evillest of bullies I faced at my high school! I get this treatment all the fucking time, and it seriously pisses me off! It makes me depressed and suicidal! I feel like nobody cares about me as a person!"

Naeko: "That's not true. There's people that care about you. In fact, I personally care about you. If I didn't care about you, then I wouldn't be discouraging you to commit suicide."

Fudoki: "What a few people say that might even remotely show a bit of concern for me pales in comparison to constant bullying and harassing I feel in my entire life! There's just no reason for me to live! Even if I survive and leave this hellhole, I still have to live my awful personal life!"

Naeko: "But what about the people who do care about you? They will be devastated once they found out about your suicide! Don't you care about their feelings!?"

Fudoki: "Why does it matter what other people think if I personally don't care about my life anymore? A few people might be sad, but my death will make very little impact on the world as a whole! I personally don't want to live, so why should I continue to do so!?"

Soon, I started to feel a sudden sense of anger inside me. I thought Fudoki was being incredibly selfish for trying to commit suicide, even though he knows his loved ones would be upset by it.

Naeko: "That's called being selfish Fudoki! You don't care about what other people think! You only care about how you feel! Just because ending your life is what you want, doesn't mean you should have to let your friends and family emotionally suffer!!! I have an awful life as well, but I never considered the topic of suicide! I know no matter how few they are, there's still people that care about me! I still have hope for my future! You can always get better, so don't ever kill yourself!"

Fudoki: "This is why I didn't want you to know what I was doing, because I know you would stop me! If you didn't happen to be in the warehouse, I would die happy! It's better to die now than live a life of never-ending torture! You're the one who's selfish for forcing me to live a terrible life just because of your personal morals!"

I'm being selfish, out of all people!? I could have killed Fudoki right on the spot in order to further my plan, but instead I chose to reason with Fudoki and encourage him not to commit suicide. But instead, I have to be at blame for this! Instantly, my desire to go through with my plan increased more and more! After all, if he doesn't want to live anymore, why should I be hesitant about killing him!? I tried to encourage him not to end his life, but I couldn't convince him! So, if he wants to end his life happy, then I should be able to live a happy life!

Naeko: "Fine! If you want to die so bad, how about I kill you!?"

Fudoki: "Fuck no! I know what you're planning! You're trying to take advantage of my suicidal thoughts in order to execute everyone and escape! At least my death won't cause the death of others!"

Naeko: "But my life is fucking miserable as well! Without this motive, my life is essentially meaningless! Even if I escape, I'm going to fucking die on the streets!"

Fudoki: "Well I personally think you're being the selfish one, not me! Killing everyone else because of your own selfish desires! How despicable! You call me out for ending my own life, while you're planning on ending the lives of everyone else!"

Naeko: "Then stop your suicide right now, or I'll kill you myself!!!"

Fudoki: "There's no way in hell I'm going along with your plans!!! Just give me the fucking flask already!!!"

Eventually I got so angry that I grabbed the baseball bat nearby and instantly hit him on the head with it. Immediately, he was knocked out cold. I soon began to regret what I did. I attacked Fudoki because I couldn't handle my own temper.

Naeko: "W-What have I done? Fudoki, I'm so sorry!!! I should have let you kill yourself!!! It's my fault for being such an awful person!!!"

FLASHBACK END

Naeko: "While I immediately started to regret my actions, I felt as it was already too late for me. I saw Fudoki's unconscious body and instantly thought up of a plan. If there was any chance for me to escape, it would be now. So, I decided to move his body to the storeroom, and that's where everything else you summarized happened next. But if I just left Fudoki's body be, he would likely still be alive to this day."

Sashi: "But it sounds like your assault of Fudoki was just in a fit of anger. It felt like you never really attended to hurt him."

Naeko: "Still. What I did afterwards was definitely a premeditated murder, even if the initial step was unplanned. However, while I'm not trying to justify my actions by any means, I would say it's better to murder him than anyone else. Killing someone that already wants to die is far better than murdering a person with a happy life."

Renjiro: "You still tried to have everyone else executed in the end, which is much more unforgivable."

Naeko: "Yes. I would say I'm sorry for trying to kill all the other students, as I truly did not want to kill any of my friends. However, I still don't regret what I did. For if I didn't pursue this motive, my life would have no purpose! But that's probably just my selfish justifications for my horrible actions."

Chimon: "Fucking bitch. Even Marika apologized for trying to end my goddamn life. You don't have even a little bit of remorse!"

Akina: "Can you just shut up Chimon!? Naeko even said he didn't want to kill anybody! Stop being a self-righteous prick!"

Chimon: "I'm just saying what I believe."

Monokuma: "Um, I know you all want to say your final words and whatever, but we still need to do what everyone has been waiting for."

Emnei: "Everyone!?"

Monokuma: "Don't tell me you forgot about the execution!"

Of course, it always have to end in an execution, doesn't it? I hope this one wasn't as traumatizing as the last one.

Yemon: "No one's waiting for that you asshole!"

Chiyo: "No, Naeko! I don't want you to go!"

Renjiro: "All this time, I thought you were just some delusional weirdo! Now I suddenly feel really sad!"

Monokuma: "Now then. I've prepared a very special punishment for the Ultimate Chemical Scientist, Naeko Ennosuke!"

Naeko: "Don't worry too much, my friends; for I have accepted my death. This was all caused by me, so I should except my due punishment."

Sashi: "Why are you so calm about this!? You should be terrified! You're about to be executed in an overly cruel and unusual way, if Marika's execution is any indication!"

Naeko: "I don't have to live much for anyways. My death was bound to happen someday."

Tetsu: "N-Naeko!"

Tetsu who has been mostly silent up till now, has been crying out Naeko's name with tears streaming out of her eyes. Most of us were crying streams of tears in fact. Both on the outside, and on the inside.

Naeko: "Goodbye everyone! You should all remember the person you knew as the Ultimate Mad Scientist! Ahahahaha.... haha.... ha......h......a."

Monokuma: "Let's give it everything we got! IT'S PUNISHMENT TIME!!!"

Just like the last class trial, a sixteen-bit video of Monokuma dragging away Naeko appeared on the screen. The words stated the words "GAME OVER" and "Naeko has been found guilty. Time for the punishment!"

Once again, the door behind Naeko opened up and out came a long chain. The chain wrapped around Naeko's neck and dragged him out of the trial grounds and into the door. The door then closed behind him. On the screen was Naeko being let loose in what looked to be some sort of chemical lab. However, the lab was massive. It looked around thirty times bigger than Naeko's lab, with every piece of equipment much larger than Naeko himself. It was like Naeko was the size of a small insect. In the lab was a giant door. The door suddenly opened, and out came what looked to be a massive Monokuma robot. It looked to be the size of human up-to-scale with everything else in the lab.

NAEKO'S MAD ACID TRIP

The robot grabbed a giant test tube from the massive test tube rack with one of his hands. He also grabbed Naeko off the ground with his other hand, clearly making him terrified. Next, the robot dropped Naeko into the test tube. Then the Monokuma machine decided to turn on a large Bunsen burner, and oh no. They better not be thinking what I'm thinking. My worst fears were realized when they moved the test tube over to the sink and turned the water on. They then filled the test tube with the sink water, nearly drowning Naeko. The robot finally turned off the sink when the water nearly reached Naeko's mouth. Next, the robot moved the test tube with Naeko inside over to the Bunsen burner. They slowly but surely moved the test tube across the flame, slowly boiler the water inside while Naeko screamed in pain and misery. Once Naeko's body turned completely red and the skin started to melt off, they moved the test tube away from the burner. However, that was not the end of it. The robot decided to fill a beaker with dangerous acid from a chemical bottle. To end on an even sour note, the robot dragged the test tube over to the beaker and dumped Naeko inside. Naeko instantly started to melt into the acid, with his flesh mixing in the acid until it turned dark red. Eventually all the chunks of flesh disappeared, with only his bones remaining on the surface. There was no doubt at this point, Naeko was dead. Our friend Naeko has been murdered by the mastermind.

Monokuma: "Woooo! That was extreme!"

All of us were too shocked to say anything. Naeko's execution somehow managed to be even more cruel than Marika's. But more than that, we just lost two friends in the course of a day. People that were dear to us.

Nori: "This is so awful! I hate this killing game!"

Monokuma: "Well my job here is done, so I'll be going now. Feel free to leave whenever you want people. Farwell all my wonderful students!"

Monokuma left the scene, leaving us in a gloomy atmosphere that felt like it would never end. Everyone was either terrified or crying. Well, except for Doryo and Yemon. Yemon instead looked furious and seemed to be clenching his fist at Doryo.

Yemon: "You! This is all your fault, you know! If you never treated Fudoki so horribly, then he would never have tried to commit suicide! That would mean that Naeko wouldn't have killed Fudoki as well! You caused the death of both Fudoki and Naeko, you sick bastard!!!"

Doryo: "Why is it my fault? Fudoki tried to attempt suicide on his own. It's not like I forced him to do it. Also, Naeko murdered Fudoki, not me. Stop fucking blaming me for the actions of others."

Renjiro: "But you were the one who kept bullying Fudoki! Did you honestly think that suicide was never on his mind!? Do you know what hell he was going through right now!? How the fuck does it feel to cause someone so much misery that they try to end their own life!?"

Doryo: "Honestly, it feels pretty great. Now I don't have to deal with that fucker for the rest of my life. I should bully people more often."

Instantly, we were all shocked by Doryo's point of view. Doryo always was an irremediable douchebag, but to go so far as to be happy that you indirectly caused someone else's death. That is completely despicable. Immediately, I realized how dangerous Doryo really is. He's such an asshole that I didn't really take him seriously. I thought he was just playing up his dickish behavior. But now, I truly see how awful Doryo is. He's a threat to the safety of all the other students.

Akina: "What!? Are you fucking serious!?"

Doryo: "You think I honestly give a shit about people other than myself!? Well the answer is always no! If people annoy me that much, they can just die for all I care!"

Renora: "What the fuck is your problem, Doryo!?"

Gyo Shin: "FUCK YOU DORYO!!! IN THAT CASE, YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE ONE TO DIE!!! NO ONE WOULD CARE IF YOU GOT MURDERED RIGHT HERE AND NOW!!!"

Sashi: "Whoa! Calm down Gyo Shin!"

Gyo Shin: "HOW CAN I CALM DOWN WHEN THIS GUY IS ACTING LIKE A TOTAL PSYCHOPATH!!!"

Emnei: "Everyone, let's not try to take Doryo so seriously. I'm sure he doesn't really mean what he says. I don't believe anyone could be that heartless."

Chiyo: "I don't care if he's acting it or if it's his real thoughts! Either way, it's fucking awful! You should never ever say that to a person who just died, especially when you yourself caused their death!"

Doryo: "Well, I'm going to leave now. Just know that I will never change. I will be like this as long as this killing game will go on, so don't even try to reason with me. I fucking hate all of you and will always see you people as enemies!"

Doryo instantly ran away from the trial grounds. Soon after, everyone began to leave one by one. However, there was on person who still hasn't left. Chiyo was still laying on the ground, crying her eyes out. Feeling concerned for her, I tried my best to provide comfort.

Sashi: "I'm sorry Chiyo. This must be really hard for you. It's hard for everyone else as well, so don't feel so sad. If you ever need help, we're here for you. We can support you when times are tough. Please try to cheer up Chiyo. When you're so sad, it makes me sad."

Chiyo: "H-How can I possible cheer up in a situation like this!?! One of my friends just died! And I'm worried that I will eventually be murdered as well! It's just a never-ending cycle of death! There's no reason to be happy anymore!"

Sashi: "Most of your friends are still alive. Even if a few people died, there's still us. That's a reason to be happy. Besides, I will never let you or anyone else get murdered again. So, don't worry about any more deaths, okay?"

Chiyo: "That's what you said the last two times as well and look what happened! Both Kando and Fudoki died even though you claimed another murder wouldn't happen! In a killing game, murder is inevitable! You can't stop it! Which is why, I'm no longer interacting with any of you!"

Sashi: "What!? Why!? I thought we were all friends!"

Chiyo: "The reason I'm so depressed is because I made friends with the other students! I was friends with Kando, Marika, Fudoki, and Naeko, and look what happened to all of them! Because I was so close to them, I felt extremely depressed when they died! It's better to have no friends than to have to deal with dead friends!"

Sashi: "But if you don't have friends, you'll never be happy! Besides, cooperation is key in this kind of situation!"

Chiyo: "I'll never be happy in this kind of situation anyways! Having friends that I know will eventually die will just make more sad than happy! 'Cooperation' you say!? What the hell has cooperating done!? We were cooperating, and murders happened anyways! From now on, I'm locking myself up in my room! Only open my room to give me food! Otherwise, never talk to me ever again! I'm sorry! This is nothing personal against you! I just don't want to deal with this kind of situation anymore!"

Chiyo ran out of the trial grounds, with tears still pouring out of her eyes. I tried to call her name, but she wouldn't listen. Now I'm seriously worried about Chiyo. She's completely given up, and no longer wants to interact with us any longer. This killing game has taken a serious toll on her. I just hope she will be okay all by herself. Still worried, I decided to head back to my dorm room.

CHAPTER 2 END

Sashi Asuka: Alive

Yemon Otsuka: Alive

Fudoki Sasaki: Dead

Akina Kuroda: Alive

Chimon Taniguchi: Alive

Marika Nagao: Dead

Tetsu Yanagi: Alive

Gyo Shin Morikawa: Alive

Doryo Ishii: Alive

Kando Yamamoto: Dead

Chiyo Gima: Alive

Renora Shinsato: Alive

Emnei Takada: Alive

Nori Ozaki: Alive

Renjiro Hara: Alive

Naeko Ennosuke: Dead

Surving Students: 12


	4. A Despair-Induced Dictatorship

PRELUDE:

BREAKING NEWS: HISTORY BOOKS ARE BEING BURNED BY GOVERNMENTAL OFFICALS

Reporter: "As ordered by the current leader of Modern Japan, Yoichi Matashichi, all history books regarding the Despair Era of History have been collected from libraries and archives around the world. These books are now being tossed into a bonfire in the middle of the city capital by governmental officials! But that's not all! Any web pages related to this period of history are now being deleted! Matashichi also plans to pass a law in the future making all passing of information related to this period illegal, whether it be through books, webpages, or even basic conversations. The government's exact plans are still unknown, and they are unlikely to be told to the public as of now. But Matashichi has stated that they plan to erase any and all info regarding this incident in history. They said by doing this, they hope to get rid of any memories in our brains about this period of history, as well as prevent future generations from being educated about this era. Since Matashichi hasn't released much info about the situation, this is all we have to report today! With that, WNN, otherwise known as the Worldwide News Network, is out!"

PRELUDE END

As soon as I came back to my dorm room, the announcement I knew all too well came back to haunt me.

Monokuma: "Attention, everyone. It is now 10:00 P.M. As such, it is officially nighttime. Remember that you cannot go to the gym nor the dining hall at night. Murders also cannot be committed during this time, so please wait until the next morning to start killing. Now then, goodnight everyone."

It's nighttime. I didn't think the class trial would last this long. However, for the first time since I got here, I didn't actually want to sleep. If I slept, I know I would be haunted by horrible nightmares. I just want to forget everything that happened that day, but no matter how much I try, the images of Fudoki's and especially Naeko's brutal deaths filled my brain with despair. Eventually I got so scared that I ended up staying up all night. Every time I was about to fall asleep, the thoughts of my friends' deaths opened my eyes up again. This lasted until the morning announcement finally came.

Monokuma: "Good morning everyone. If you heard this announcement, that means that it is 7:00 A.M and nighttime is officially over. The dining hall and gym will now be open, and you're free to kill as much as you want. Get ready for another beautiful day in your killing school semester."

I guess I should head to the dining hall like always. Hopefully everyone else is in a better mood than me. However, as soon as I headed out, a familiar face greeted my eyes.

Emnei: "......G-Good morning Sashi..."

Just like I thought, Emnei seemed to be just as depressed as me.

Sashi: "Hello Emnei. Did you get any sleep today? I sure didn't."

Emnei: "......No."

Sashi: "It's not because I couldn't go to sleep. I literally didn't want to go to sleep in fear of having nightmares."

Emnei: "It's the opposite for me. I wanted to sleep but I physically couldn't. I kept having panic attacks whenever the thoughts of Naeko's and Fudoki's deaths appeared in my mind. I ended up screaming and crying a lot. Good thing the walls are soundproof."

Sashi: "That's too bad."

Whelp. This is awkward.

Sashi: "So what are you doing out here Emnei? Did you just wanted to say good morning to me?"

Emnei: "Actually, I wanted to talk to you about something."

Sashi: "What is it Emnei?"

Emnei: "Remember how I kept saying how weak I was and how I really wanted to change?"

Sashi: "Yeah, I remember. But I'm going to be honest, I'm already starting to see change in you. Is there really anything else you need to change? I think you're perfect just the way you are."

Emnei: "It's true that I'm able to handle this situation better than when I first started. I was able to have enough courage to cooperate during the class trial and not panic. However, I'm still really cowardly at heart. I still can't stand up for anyone. When everyone was calling out Doryo for causing Fudoki's and Naeko's deaths indirectly, I was totally silent. I couldn't stand up for others no matter how much I tried. I can't even stand up for myself when Doryo bullies me."

Sashi: "That's true. What do you plan to do about it though? Do you need my advice?"

Emnei: "I'm thinking about maybe calling out Doryo and everything he's done to us during the dining hall meeting. But is it a bad time to do that? Should I wait until he's actually done something first?"

Sashi: "Do what you want to do. It's your choice. But in my opinion, I think you should call him out as soon as possible. The earlier you do it, the better. I bet the moment he sees that you aren't as weak as he thought, he will target you less. He only bullies you because he thinks you're an easy target."

Emnei: "Then I guess I will do that. Doryo is such a weird person. He's ridiculously unlikeable to the point of comical levels. It's like he's specifically trying to get everyone to hate him."

Sashi: "It's hard to know what a person like him is thinking. That might be his exact intentions for all we know."

Emnei: "Yeah. You want to head to the dining hall now?"

Sashi: "Sure."

Me and Emnei soon walked over to the dining hall, where everyone else except Chiyo had already arrived. She must have been serious when she said she wasn't going to interact with us anymore.

Nori: "Good morning you two."

Yemon: "I really wish Chiyo would come to the dining hall. I know she was feeling depressed and upset after seeing too many of her friends die but avoiding us isn't going to solve anything."

Akina: "Maybe it's just best to leave her alone for now. She's just being emotional right now. I'm sure she will be fine tomorrow."

Sashi: "I don't know about that. She seemed pretty serious when talking about not interacting with us anymore."

Emnei: "I would say we just leave her be like Akina said."

Nori: "Honestly Akina, I wish you would stop pretending that you care about her."

Akina: "What the fuck are you talking about?"

Nori: "You're acting all nice, but in reality, you hate her fucking guts. Just like how you treat all women other than yourself."

Akina: "I never said I hated all women, I said "most women". There's a difference."

Nori: "Like that is really much better. Then tell me this. Why do you care about Chiyo but hate me? What the fuck is the problem with me!?"

Akina: "Because your petty emotions get in the way all of the time! During the class trials, your stupid beliefs in others slows everything down! We almost didn't vote for Marika because you convinced everyone that she was innocent!"

Yemon: "Actually, Marika was manipulating us. She was the one who was trying to get us to not vote for her, not Nori."

Akina: "Doesn't change what I already think about her. Just so you know, the reason I hate you is not just because you're a woman. It's because you always trust everyone and believe in them, even people that act like complete douchebags, yet completely rag on me all the time. Even when I try to act nice, you still shit on me."

Nori: "Because you're a misogynistic bitch! Why wouldn't I despise you!?"

Akina: "Have you heard the things Doryo has said!? He says homophobic and sexist shit all the time, but you never call him out on it! Tell me why you harass me and not him!"

Nori: "Because you're a goddamn hypocrite! You're a woman yourself yet you treat women like the absolute scum of the earth!"

Akina: "So you basically hate me not for my attitude or behavior, but because I'm a woman. Isn't that fucking ironic?"

Renora: "Everyone please stop fighting! This is a meaningless conversation!"

Yemon: "Nori, I know how you feel, but you're being irrational right now. Akina's not as bad as a person as you think."

Nori: "You're only saying that because you're a guy! You don't know how this really feels for me!"

Gyo Shin: "I'm a woman too. And even I'm not that angry over Akina."

Renora: "Yeah. I think you're overreacting Nori."

Tetsu: "I know I've been silent lately, but please stop Nori. You're making the mood even worse than it already was."

Nori: "You want me to stop! Then apologize Akina! If you really are a better person than you seem, then fucking apologize! You put me through so much shit and I'm sick of it!"

Akina: "FINE!!! I'm sorry, alright. Not just you, but every female here. I'm sorry for insulting and degrading you all."

Renjiro: "Are you telling the truth here?"

Akina: "Yes. I won't make any misogynistic comments anymore."

Nori: "I really hope you're telling the truth here."

Sashi: "But why would you even make these comments in the first place?"

Akina: "I don't really want to talk about it."

Emnei: "Well I think this is an issue we shouldn't press further on. We should just be happy with her apology for now."

Yemon: "Um. Let's change the topic please."

Emnei: "Oh. I have one more thing to say. This is to you Doryo."

Doryo: "Huh? What the fuck do you want faggot?"

Emnei looked like he was about to cry again, but he wiped his eyes and gave a stern look. It looked like he was done crying over Doryo's insults. He really wanted to become stronger.

Emnei: "I just wanted to say this. You are an awful person."

Doryo: "Thanks for letting me know. I already knew that shit the day I was born."

Renora: "You say that like you're proud of it."

Emnei: "But that's not all I wanted to say. To be more specific, you are a homophobic, sexist, overall trash human being who deserves to be thrown into a garbage can. You are an asshole, and nobody likes you, nor anybody will in the future."

Renjiro: "Wow Emnei! I would never expect a person like you to be so upfront!"

Doryo: "You got some fucking balls; I'll tell you that much! But guess what, nobody likes you either! You're a piece of shit that should just fucking be burned at the stake!"

Yemon: "You're wrong Doryo. Everyone likes Emnei, but nobody likes you. That's because Emnei is a nice and compassionate human being who actually cares about the feelings of others, unlike you!"

Akina: "That's right. I fucking hate your guts Doryo! I said I hated Emnei, but deep down, I never really hated him. I can definitely say positive things about him, while with you there is literally nothing good I can say about you!"

Emnei: "How does that feel Doryo? To have everyone against you like this! I'm just going to say this: I'm not going to take your bullshit anymore! No, not just me! Nobody is going to take this shit anymore! Not after what you did to Fudoki!"

Wow, I never heard Emnei curse this much before. He must really be sick of Doryo's bullshit.

Doryo: "..................."

Sashi: "What's the matter? Have nothing else to say?"

Doryo: "Whatever. Fuck you all anyways. I'm just going to go back to my room now."

Doryo stormed out of the dining hall in anger, slamming the doors open and walking outside.

Nori: "Umm. How about we just eat now?"

Tetsu: "Yeah. I was starting to get hungry, but I didn't want to eat before anybody else."

Tetsu seems to be a lot more talkative now. Has she finally warmed up to the rest of us? After our long conversation, we decided to finally eat breakfast. We then decided to head out after we finished our meals. However, we were interrupted by a familiar voice.

Monopup: "Where are you guys going?"

Sashi: "What do you want? What does it matter where we are going?"

Monopup: "Did you already forget? You just finished another class trial, which means more of the school has opened up."

Chimon: "Oh yeah. I almost forgot about that."

Monopup: "This is why I have to remind you all of this every time we finish a class trial. Cause stuff like this happens. Anyways, at the bottom of the school, you will see that all the gates there have been opened. So, go ahead and start exploring! That's all I came here to tell you, so without further ado, Monopup is out!"

Yemon: "Um. So, I guess we should start investigating again?"

Akina: "Sounds good to me."

Renjiro: "Let's head out then."

Slowly but surely everyone started to walk their way out of the dining hall. I decided to wait until Emnei started to walk out so I could investigate with him once again. But for some reason, he was talking to Chimon. Chimon of all people, talking to Emnei? But what was more surprising is I saw them head out of the dining hall together. It seemed like they were going to investigate as a group. It may have just been my unsubstantiated curiosity, but I felt like something was going on between these two. Chimon, who normally hates social interaction, to suddenly start talking and walking with someone like Emnei? It just doesn't seem right. But maybe I'm just being too paranoid. I should try to investigate with them anyways. It might be nice to interact with Chimon in a meaningful way for once. But just as I was about to follow them, I was interrupted by a voice.

Tetsu: "Hey Sashi. Is it okay if we investigate together?"

I was utterly shocked. Tetsu of all people, asking to investigate with me? That thought would have never crossed my mind. I was already planning to investigate with Emnei, but I already spend plenty of time with him, it might be nice to get to know the other classmates as well.

Sashi: "Of course Tetsu."

Tetsu: "Yay! Oh sorry, I just got excited. Nobody ever wants to spend time with me. I'm just so happy."

Sashi: "No it's fine Tetsu. But why did you choose me of all people? People tell me I'm pretty ordinary, especially for a celebrity like me."

Tetsu: "Really? I don't think you're ordinary at all."

Sashi: "Huh?"

Tetsu: "Just the fact that you're an Ultimate is something that makes you special. Not to mention, you are always so cheerful and sweet. You're a wonderful person that I wish I could get to know better. I always wanted to talk to you, but I was too shy to even try."

Sashi: "Aww, thanks Tetsu. I think you're exaggerating just a little bit though."

Tetsu: "Why would I ever lie to my friend? You think this isn't my true feelings?"

Friend? Wow, she warmed up to me really quick.

Sashi: "No. I think you're being honest. I just don't see how you feel this way about me. I certainly don't see myself as this wonderful person."

Tetsu: "Well I think your self-esteem is too low. That's kind of ironic for such a popular celebrity, don't you think?"

Sashi: "True. I don't even like most celebrities because of how self-absorbed they are. I think that's why I sometimes have a low opinion of myself. I don't want to become the everyday narcissistic celebrity that is all too common."

Tetsu: "That makes sense. Just try not to be too down on yourself, okay?"

Sashi: "Alright. I'll take your advice Tetsu."

Wow, we've been only talking for a few minutes, and we are already getting along great. Is this what Tetsu is like when she finally opens up to people?

Tetsu: "I think we've been getting off topic. Let's just start exploring the school already."

Sashi: "Alright Tetsu. Monopup says the gates near the bottom of the school were opened so let's try looking below the park. I'm pretty sure some gates closed off that area.

Me and Tetsu walked to below the park, where sure enough, the previously closed gates were now wide open. Right behind the gates were two metal buildings of similar structure. We walked over to one of the buildings. The electrical sign lit up the words "Physics Lab."

Sashi: "Physics Lab? By the name, I would assume this would be another research lab. However, none of the current students have a talent that relates to physical science. We have an Ultimate Chemical Scientist, but not an Ultimate Physical Scientist."

Tetsu: "Please don't bring him up again. You're going to make me cry."

Sashi: "Huh? Are you talking about Naeko?"

Tetsu: "He just died yesterday. I would appreciate it if you wouldn't bring up him up casually. Naeko was a weird person, but he was entertaining. And even though he killed Fudoki in cold blood, once I heard his motive, I couldn't help but feel sorry for him. I don't think he's truly a bad person at heart. Darn it, you made me start crying anyways."

Tears started streaming out of her eyes. Dammit, now I feel really bad now. I didn't think mentioning the Ultimate Chemical Scientist would make her so emotional. But I should really comfort her.

Sashi: "I'm sorry okay. It was insensitive of me to bring them up again. But please don't cry. It makes me upset."

Tetsu: "N-No, it's fine. It's my fault for being so emotional."

Sashi: "U-Um. This is awkward. Let's just go back to what we were talking about earlier. I was talking about how this looks like a research lab but doesn't match up with any of our talents."

Tetsu: "I guess it's just a regular school building then. Let's just head in and see what's inside."

I tried to push the door open, but it wouldn't open. It seemed to be locked.

Sashi: "That's strange. This door seems to be locked."

Tetsu: "But I'm sure Monokuma wouldn't have opened this new area for us if they didn't want us coming in here. Oh! Maybe it has to do with hole on the doorknob?"

Tetsu pointed to the doorknob on the lab door. Sure enough, right above the handle was a small keyhole. It was wide, but very short in height. There was also a small glass screen above the keyhole. For what it was for, I had no idea.

Sashi: "I think I've seen these types of doors before. You see, these kinds of doors only open when you put a keycard through the gap."

Tetsu: "That's what I thought too. But we don't seem to have any keycards as far as I know. And it looks too small to fit a monopod in."

Sashi: "Then how do we get this open, I wonder?"

Monopup: "You're curious about these door locks, aren't you? Then I shall answer your question."

Sashi: "Stop popping out of nowhere. You are seriously going to give me a heart attack."

Tetsu: "Imagine a body discovery announcement happening for a reason as stupid as this."

Monopup: "Wait? Am I killing you by doing this? I'm so very sorry! I don't want to cause any unnecessary deaths for students! My boss would get mad."

Sashi: "How fucking gullible are you? Do you seriously think I would have a heart attack over a goddamn stuffed animal?"

Monopup: "Then maybe I will keep popping out of nowhere then."

Tetsu: "No. Just don't do it period."

Monopup: "I don't get why you people are so upset over seeing your beloved teacher."

Maybe it's because you are helping run a killing game along with Monokuma? Also, you're not "beloved" in any way.

Sashi: "Just get to the point."

Monopup: "I heard you guys saying that you probably need a keycard to unlock these doors. And you are absolutely correct! Which is why I'm passing this out right now."

Monopup suddenly grabbed a keycard from his stuffed pocket and handed it to us.

Sashi: "Um, Monopup? There's only one keycard."

Monopup: "And?"

Sashi: "There's two of us. Are you expecting us to share it?"

Monopup: "Of course not! That keycard is meant for only one person to use!"

Tetsu: "So does that mean only one of us has access to a keycard? Are you in limited supply?"

Monopup: "No! Monokuma specifically told me to hand out only a limited supply of keycards to people, even though we have lots of them just in case. I'm just following his instructions okay. If you have a question, you need to ask him."

Sashi: "In that case, Monokuma, can you come here?"

Monokuma: "You called for me?"

Tetsu: "We were wondering about these keycards. Why are you only giving these out to some of the students rather than all of them?"

Monokuma: "Seriously!? You're wasting my time just to ask me a stupid question like that!? Why don't you just ask Monopup? Believe it or not, this teddy bear has things to do."

I thought you weren't a teddy bear in your eyes.

Tetsu: "We tried asking him, but he said he didn't know anything, so I should try asking you instead."

Monokuma: "WHAT!?! GRRRRRR! Monopup, I already explained this to you hours ago, and you still managed to fuck it up!"

Monopup: "Huh? Fuck what up?"

Monokuma: "I already told you everything regarding these keycards, including why they exist in the first place! You were supposed to explain this to the other students at the dining hall! But now you are telling only very limited info to only two students at a time like this! Do you want your salary to be lowered again!?"

Monopup: "I'm sorry boss. I really didn't know, I swear."

Monokuma: "FINE! Since you're so dense you can't figure out the answer to the question on your own, I guess I'll explain this myself! Basically, these keycards are in place in order to keep track of who gets into this lab. Tetsu, how about you insert the keycard?"

Tetsu: "Okay, I guess."

Tetsu inserted the keycard into the keyhole, and it made a beep sound. Once she grabbed the doorknob, the door slid right open.

Tetsu: "It worked alright."

Monokuma: "But that's not what I was trying to show you. Of course, the door would open. You see that glass screen above the keyhole? Try pressing it for about a second."

Tetsu did what was asked and pressed the glass screen. After about a second, it lit up and it showed some kind of record. On the record were three columns, listing NAME, TIME, and IN/OUT. The first row of the record listed TETSU under NAME, 10:45 AM under TIME, and IN under IN/OUT.

Tetsi: "Oh I see. This is like a log-in record. It shows which people have entered this room at which time."

Sashi: "But how did it know you were Tetsu? Does the door have a sensor?"

Monokuma: "No, nothing like that. Try flipping the card over."

Tetsu flipped the card over and labeled on it was a name labeled TETSU YONAGA.

Tetsu: "Oh. I'm stupid. I didn't even check what was on the card before using it."

Monokuma: "Each keycard has a name listed on it. That means whenever a certain card is used, the record would show the name listed on the card."

Sashi: "So this keycard is meant for Tetsu, not me?"

Monokuma: "Yep. Unfortunately, there is no keycard that has your name on it."

Tetsu: "Which brings me back to the original question? Why are keycards only being handed out to certain students?"

Monokuma: "Because it makes things interesting, that's why!"

Sashi: "Is that supposed to be an answer? I'm just even more confused then when we first got these random ass keycards."

Tetsu: "I think Monokuma is trying to create a situation for an interesting murder."

Sashi: "Huh?"

Tetsu: "Let's say for example, that a student was murdered in this room. Another student would have to enter the lab in order to kill them, yes? That means they would have to use their own keycard in order to get in the lab, which we could then interpret based on the keycard record."

Sashi: "But wouldn't that make finding the killer too easy? You could just check the record and instantly know who the killer is based on the name listed. What's interesting about that?"

Tetsu: "Not necessarily. Monokuma, I have another question. Is a student allowed to use a keycard that is meant for another student? Like for example, I use a keycard that has Emnei's name on it. In that case, the record would only show Emnei on the record, thus implicating him."

Monokuma: "Of course. That's what makes it so interesting. You could have one student use the keycard of another's and you all would have no idea. It makes you suspect whether the record information is accurate or not. So no, it's not intended for security purposes at all. It's meant to provide an element that a killer could use in their plan. Speaking of, you're asking a lot of suspicious questions Tetsu. Are you planning to kill someone in one of these labs and frame it on someone else by using their keycard?"

Tetsu: "What!? Of course not! I just want to know this in case someone does plan to murder someone in these labs! Our lives are on the line in class trials, you know! It's important to know what the killer isn't and is allowed to do."

Monokuma: "Puhuhuhu. That was quite the reaction there. Are you sweating perhaps because you were planning on killing someone with this method?"

Tetsu: "SHUT UP!!!"

Monokuma: "Alright, Alright. I was just messing with you. But anyways, since Monopup is a huge failure and didn't decide to mention all of this earlier, I guess I'll just add this in the school regulations, which I was planning on doing anyways. Good thing these monopods beep and receive a notification every time a new rule has been added. Otherwise people wouldn't be aware of this new rule. I think I explained everything now, so goodbye."

Monokuma and Monopup left the scene. Sure enough, our monopods beeped and out came a notification stating that a new rule has been added to the regulations. I tapped the school regulations, and sure enough, a new rule was listed as rule #17. It listed the following:

Rule #17: Only a limited number of students have access to the lab keycards. However, a student is allowed to use a keycard of another student, even if they themselves don't have a keycard in the first place.

Sashi: "Well, I guess our question has been answered. Now that the door is open, let's head inside."

Me and Tetsu soon headed inside the physics lab. Inside were cabinets full of scales, pulleys, and other lab equipment related to physical science. But there was also an electrical cage stack dab in the middle of the lab. Next to the cage was what looked to be some kind of orb attached to a pole. There was also a door to another room in one of the corners of the lab that was visible through glass windows. Finally, there was a series of lockers on one side of the lab.

Sashi: "There's a lot of stuff in here that I don't know even recognize. It's almost like it came out of a science fiction movie."

Tetsu: "Actually no. This is all common equipment that is used by scientists in the physics field. I took an advanced physics class in high school, so I know about all of these things. Hold up, let's go inside this room really quick. If it what I think it is based on what I saw through the windows, I want to test something out."

Sashi: "Sure."

Tetsu walked into the room while I followed. Inside was what looked to be some sort of control room. There was a large chair that sat next to a panel with all sorts of buttons on it. What piqued my interest was a button labeled "Electric Orb" and another labeled "Lightning Rod." I don't know these buttons do, but their names interest me.

Tetsu: "Just what I thought. Hey Sashi, do you see that cage over there? That's a faraday cage. It's basically used to shield against electromagnetic waves."

Sashi: "The what now?"

Tetsu: "The specifics don't matter right now. There's a door that can be used to get inside the cage, which is exactly what I want you to do. Just stay inside the cage. Do not try to escape it. Just stay put while I do everything else. What I'm about to do may seem scary, but I assure you it is 100% safe."

Sashi: "I'm a bit worried, but I guess I'll head inside the cage."

I did what was asked and open the cage door. After I walked inside, I shut the door behind me. I was still a bit nervous, as evident by the clattering of my teeth.

Tetsu: "Alright. Like I said, this might seem frightening, but please do not panic. And you absolutely cannot leave the cage during my experiment. If you decide to do so, the result could be fatal."

Sashi: "Fatal!? Then I'm definitely not leaving this cage!"

Tetsu: "Okay. I'm starting this in 3......2......1......Go."

Instantly, electricity suddenly started coming out of the orb in the form of what looked to be lightning bolts. The bolts hit the cage I was in repeatedly, but never reached through the gaps of the cage. After the initial shock of the electricity hitting the cage, I had to admit that it was pretty cool. After about thirty seconds, the electricity turned off, and I decided to head out of the cage while Tetsu walked out of the control room.

Tetsu: "Pretty awesome, huh?"

Sashi: "Yeah it was. I'm impressed Tetsu. You seem so knowledgeable about this, even though you're the Ultimate Mathematician rather than the Ultimate Physical Scientist."

Tetsu: "Like I said, I took an advanced physics class in high school, but I also studied it in my free time. Normally I don't care for science classes, but physics is different. Even though physics is technically a scientific field, it is like 97% math, which is why I love it so much."

Sashi: "Yeah, I figured, with you being the Ultimate Mathematician and all."

Tetsu: "Anyways. Before we check out the other buildings, I want to take a look at these lockers. I'm curious to how they are opened."

Me and Tetsu walked over to the lockers. I tried opening one of them, but it was locked, as to be expected. However, there was no padlock or anything that lockers typically have. Instead, there seemed to be yet another keyhole in the middle of the locker. Its shape seemed to perfectly match the one on the lab door, which means it probably needs a keycard to unlock it.

Tetsu: "Hmm. These lockers also seem to have keycard locks. Hold up, let me try something."

Tetsu grabbed her keycard and put it through the lock, however the light above the keyhole turned red, which probably meant that it didn't work. Tetsu tried opening the locker, but just like last time, it wouldn't budge.

Tetsu: "Well my keycard didn't work."

Sashi: "Maybe your keycard only opens a specific locker. Try using it for all the lockers."

Tetsu tried to use the keycard in all the lockers one by one, until finally one of them opened.

Tetsu: "Yep, that seems to be the case. Every one of these lockers is only designed for a specific keycard."

Sashi: "Well I think we investigated everything here, so let's try going somewhere else."

Tetsu: "Okay."

We headed out of the physics lab and went back outside. We then decided to walk to the other metal building next to it. On the building were the words "Biology Lab", once again lit up by electrical lights. Just like the other building, the door was locked but had another keyhole to put the keycard in.

Sashi: "It seems that this lab also requires a keycard to get in. Interesting."

Tetsu: "I guess I'll use my keycard then."

Tetsu slid her keycard into the keyhole, and once again the door opened up with a simple push. Inside the biology lab was several desks with microscopes on them. There were also several plants, animal parts, and animal bones lined up in shelfs. There was also basic chemical equipment, just like Naeko's lab, although not nearly as advanced.

Sashi: "Interesting. Well I don't see anything significant here, so I guess we'll head back out."

Tetsu and I walked out of the biology lab and shut the door, only to be confronted by Monokuma, who was waiting just inside.

Sashi: "What the hell do want?"

Monokuma: "I'm upset right now cause I forgot to mention one very important rule regarding these lab doors!"

Tetsu: "What is it?"

Monokuma: "Sashi, you just entered the lab doors without even using a keycard!"

Sashi: "That's cause Tetsu already used her keycard, so I just came in with her. Besides, I don't even have my own keycard."

Monokuma: "But then what's the point of even having these doors in the first place then! If people can just bypass the door without even leaving a record, then it's completely pointless. Which is why I'm adding a new rule making it illegal for anybody to enter the labs without using a keycard. That's all I wanted to say now, so goodbye."

My monopod then beeped, and when I turned it on, a notification popped up. When I checked the school regulations, a new rule was posted. The rule listed the following:

Rule #18: Students are not allowed to enter the Physics or Biology Labs with another person without using their keycard first.

Sashi: "Well that sucks. I guess I can't go to these labs anymore."

Tetsu: "Good thing you saw everything there is to see in these labs before that rule was added. It was pretty lucky that Monokuma forgot to add that rule."

Sashi: "Yep."

As I looked around the school, I saw yet another building in the distance. On the building was a sign that said "Ultimate Film Director Lab."

Tetsu: "This must be Nori's lab."

Sashi: "Yep."

Tetsu: "I really love Nori as a person. Both her and you really helped me get rid of my social anxiety and start speaking more freely."

Sashi: "Yeah, I love her too. She's a very sweet person."

Tetsu: "Should we head in now?"

Sashi: "Sure."

Me and Tetsu entered through the doors of the Ultimate Film Director Lab, only to find what looked like a film studio. Inside were all different kinds of film equipment, including cameras, microphones, and lights. There were also tons of different props and set pieces. The set pieces included what looked like a house, a castle, and a city street. Props inside the lab were part of every category, including weapons, instruments, tools, and gear. This truly was a place fit for the Ultimate Film Director Lab. Inside was Nori, who was already fooling around with the camera inside.

Sashi: "Hello Nori."

Nori: "Hiiiiiiiii, Sashi! Oh, Tetsu's here as well!"

Sashi: "You seem to be in a good mood."

Nori: "Why wouldn't I be!? This is like a dream come true for me! To be in an actual film studio with all kinds of film equipment, props, and set pieces! Eeeeeeeee!"

Nori instantly started squeeing in excitement. It was actually kind of cute. Even though this isn't actually a film studio, I decided not to mention it in fear of ruining her mood.

Tetsu: "You certainly seem to be in a lot better sorts than at the dining hall this morning."

Nori: "Well, my emotions tend to come and go. That's all in the past now, so don't worry about it. I'm no longer upset."

Sashi: "So you're not angry at Akina anymore?"

Nori: "Well she apologized and promised to change her behavior, so I don't see why I would be. I'm not petty."

Tetsu: "Still, you seemed really furious at the time. It was kind of an overreaction."

Nori: "Yeah. Listen, I'm really sorry for the way I acted earlier. Sometimes I get really emotional when I feel like people are being targeted, as that stuff really gets to me. It kind of comes a little too close to home for me. But I apologize for my behavior. I do acknowledge that I was a bit too harsh on Akina back then."

Sashi: "No, it's fine. Everything seems to have settled down now, so I don't think you really need to worry about it anymore."

Nori: "Still, I feel like I need to apologize to her sometime today. If she is going to apologize for her behavior, then I should as well. I really don't want to make enemies with anyone here."

Tetsu: "Yeah, in a situation like this, having enemies is the worst thing to happen. By the way Nori, do you actually believe what Akina said? Cause it seems like you do."

Nori: "I think she's really telling the truth here. At least I hope so. I tend to look at things through an optimistic lens."

Sashi: "Well I think we're going to be exploring more of the school now. Bye Nori."

Nori: "Wait!"

Sashi: "What?"

Nori: "Before you go, I just wanted to try something really quick."

Nori grabbed a film camera from the lab and started pointing it at us.

Nori: "Say pussy, cause you're on camera."

Tetsu: "Pussy!?"

Nori: "I'm just joking around. But you can say it if you want, I don't mind."

Sashi: "Alright then. PUSSY!!!"

Nori: "That's what I'm talking about girl! You really put a lot of emotion into that one word. You should really think about becoming an actress."

Sashi: "Ummm. Did you forget? I'm the Ultimate Actress."

Nori: "Oh yeah. Well that was stupid of me. I'm probably going to cut that out of the footage later."

Tetsu: "Wait, are you actually keeping this footage? I thought you were just doing this for fun."

Nori: "I am doing this for fun. Film directing is my hobby."

Sashi: "Is this going to be part of a film later?"

Nori: "Yep! While I was wandering around here earlier, I just thought of something I could do! I know this current situation is very depressing and harsh, which is why I'm going to lighten up the mood! I'm going to film everyone who is still alive and put it all into one big movie! So, expect me to be carrying this camera around a lot, cause I'm hoping to gather at least an hour and a half of footage!"

Sashi: "That sounds amazing Nori! I can't wait to see what kind of movie this all turns into!"

Nori: "Too bad it took this long for my lab to open up. Otherwise I could have been filming all the students here up until now, including people like Kando and Marika. It could be like a memorial for those who died. But of course, Monokuma had to close off a lot of the buildings here until we beat more class trials."

Tetsu: "Honestly, this is probably for the best. I don't think I could handle watching all my now dead friends. It would just bring back horrible memories of when and how they died. N-now I'm crying again. Just t-thinking about them brings me to tears."

Nori: "Don't cry Tetsu. I'm sure wherever they are now in the afterlife, it's a better place than this hellhole. Instead of focusing on the past, why don't we just focus on the future and try to prevent further incidents from happening, okay?"

Tetsu: "Thanks for trying to make me feel better, but I don't think we can truly stop any future murders from happening. Despite all our efforts, four people still ended up dying."

Nori: "Then that just means that we weren't trying hard enough! No matter what, we'll find a way to end this killing game! So please stop crying!"

Tetsu: "O-okay."

Even though Tetsu's eyes still looked watery and her mood didn't seem to have improved much, she still tried to wipe her tears away and give off a least a faint smile, even if it was forced.

Nori: "See, even trying to smile makes your mood a lot better."

Tetsu: "Um, before we leave for real, can I just say one thing?"

Nori: "Of course Tetsu."

Tetsu: "I just really want to thank you both for helping me overcome my social anxiety. If it wasn't for you two, I would still be locked up in my dorm room in fear."

Nori: "No problem Tetsu."

Sashi: "You're welcome. Anyways, I think we should be going now. Goodbye Nori."

Nori: "Bye you two."

The two of us walked out of Nori's lab and started heading right, as the left path was blocked off by yet another gate. But as we walked to the right, we noticed that to the south was a giant slope that seemed to go to yet another part of the school. Unfortunately, the slope was too steep to climb down, and the only stairs down were blocked by yet another gate. It seems like both this area and the one to the left are the gates that are going to be unlocked next. To the right was what seemed to be the last two buildings yet to be searched in this new area. They were both research labs. One was labeled the Ultimate Car Racer Lab, while the other was labeled the Ultimate Soccer Player Lab. However, both structures were unique in their own ways. The Ultimate Car Racer Lab seemed to have a garage door on one side, while the other had no roof, probably because it is of a sporty talent, which is typically done outside. What was also unusual was that there was yet another gate right below where the garage door is, but it was bigger than usual. Right behind the gate is what looks like a giant path that ramps its way down to the area below.

Sashi: "This is certainly interesting. The Ultimate Car Racer Lab seems to have a garage."

Tetsu: "What? Are you telling me that there's an actual car inside?"

Sashi: "Well it is the Ultimate Car Racer Lab. It would be pointless if there wasn't a car to practice the Ultimate talent with."

Tetsu: "Still. I don't think this school was designed to travel around by car."

Sashi: "That's why I think that gate is there. Doesn't it look like a wide path is behind that gate? Wide enough for a car to travel down?"

Tetsu: "Yeah, I think you're right. The fact that it is right behind the garage door is probably not a coincidence. But it means nothing while the gate is still locked."

Sashi: "Well let's just put that inside for now. I want to see what's inside the Ultimate Car Racer Lab."

Tetsu: "Okie dokie."

Tetsu and I walked inside the Ultimate Car Racer's Lab. Inside was pretty much exactly what you would expect by the name. What was most notable was the bright, sleek race car in the middle of the room. It shined a dark shade of blude, along with shiny tires and a fancy interior. There were also spare tires, gasoline, and tools lined up on the walls, clearly meant to maintain and repair the sport car in the middle. Inside the car was Yemon, who seemed to be examining everything there is inside the car.

Sashi: "Hello Yemon."

Yemon: "Oh. Fancy seeing you two here, Sashi and Tetsu."

Tetsu: "Are you looking for something in particular, or are you just examining the car and all its finest details?"

Yemon: "I'm pretty much just taking a look around. This race car is amazing! It's like the fanciest model you could ever get your hands in the entire world! I can't believe they have something like this in a location like this! If only the large gate was opened up so I could take this out for a test drive, as there's not really any safe areas in this school so far to drive around in."

Sashi: "Aww, that's a shame. But it's still nice just taking a look at this race car for now, am I right?"

Yemon: "Yeah. I will still probably spend a lot of time in here, as I might want to take a deeper look inside this car and its mechanisms, seeing if there is any improvements I could make to the interior. But I'm not the Ultimate Mechanic, so I can't really do too much. The car is probably already perfect as it is, but it might be a new learning experience."

Tetsu: "Well you have fun with that. I think me and Sashi are going to head out now. We're almost finished exploring the school. I want to see everything there is to see before it gets to late."

Yemon: "Aww okay. Goodbye you two."

Sashi: "Bye Yemon."

Tetsu: "Have a good afternoon."

Me and Tetsu headed out of the Ultimate Car Racer Lab and finally went to the Ultimate Soccer Player Lab, where I presume Akina is. As we headed inside the doors, we found what looked to be a soccer stadium, if it was about 3 times smaller. A large soccer field covered most of the area inside, with goals on each end. There were also bleachers lined up on each side of the lab, where I presume people sit to watch the game. Finally, there was a giant scoreboard lined up on the wall, showing the points scored for each team. Though I question how the scoreboard could be updated when there is presumably no one to update it. Running through the field was Akina, who was kicking a soccer ball at a speed faster than I could ever imagine.

Sashi: "Hi Akina."

Akina: "Hey Sashi. You know what? I want to see you try something. Try to kick this soccer ball back at me."

Sash: "No than-OWW!"

Akina kicked the ball really hard, and without completely precision, landed directly on top of my head with super speed. It hit me so hard that I had little time to react, so I was shocked by the sudden pain on the top of my head.

Sashi: "What the hell was that for Akina!? That really hurt!"

Akina: "You were supposed to headbutt the ball onto the ground and kick it back towards me, stupid."

Sashi: "Wait, what?"

Akina: "Have you seriously not heard about headbutting soccer balls? Professional soccer players do it all the damn time."

Sashi: "First of all, I don't watch or play soccer, so I didn't know that. Secondly, I'm not a professional soccer player, so how do you expect me to be able to do that? Lastly, even if I did know how to headbutt soccer balls, you kicked at a speed way too fast for me to react properly. It was like a bullet going through my skull."

Tetsu: "You should have at least kicked more lightly Akina. This kind of rough play is reserved for your soccer games, not to random friends who happen to walk into you practicing soccer."

Akina: "Alright, I'm sorry okay. I thought maybe you were sportier than you seemed at first glance, so I tried testing your reflexes. Turns out I was very wrong. A shame too, cause I was going to ask you later if you want to play soccer with me, but it seems like you have neither the skill nor the motivation to play with me."

Sashi: "What the fuck did you expect from the Ultimate Actress?"

Akina: "I don't fucking know. I'm just desperate to find someone that is willing to play with me."

Tetsu: "Why don't you try asking Renjiro or Yemon to play with you? They seem like pretty athletic and sporty people."

Akina: "I already exercise with them all the damn time, so it wouldn't be much different to do a soccer game with them. Besides, I was hoping if I could play with another woman."

Sashi: "Wait, am I hearing this right? You, Akina of all people, want to play soccer with another woman?"

Akina: "Why wouldn't I? I already play in an all girls' soccer team in high school. I want to be reminded of my fond memories there."

Sashi: "Well, you asked the wrong girl. Maybe try asking Renora. I know she's the Ultimate Figure Skater, but her talent is still technically related to a sport, even if it's not a team one. She's a pretty athletic girl. You never know, she might even pose a challenge to someone like you."

Akina: "Eww no."

Tetsu: "Why not?"

Akina: "I'm going to be honest; I don't like Renora very much. And it's not because she's a woman."

That's unusual. I mean, both me and Tetsu don't like her, but that's because we know a side of her that she doesn't seem to show to the other students. So how could someone like Akina, who hardly willingly interacts with all the other female students, dislike Renora? I was admittingly curious.

Sashi: "Why don't you like Renora? She seems friendly and outgoing enough."

Akina: "I think that's a lie. I don't believe she's as good of a person as she makes herself out to be."

Tetsu: "Why do you think that?"

Akina: "I'm not sure. I just get a bad vibe for her. She seems pretty pretentious, even if she doesn't outwardly act like it. She just seems like a spoiled, rich white girl who acts all nice, but secretly think she's better than anybody else."

But you're white too. Not to mention, I don't know about now, but you used to say that you were better than most other women in the world. Maybe I'm just being too judgmental, but I don't know if you are the best person to criticize Renora, especially since you don't have any evidence that shows she's a worse person than she seems at first glance. If anyone is going to condemn Renroa, it's me and Tetsu, for not only being the complete opposite of her in terms of personality, but also knowing her true self.

Akina: "I know what you're thinking. Don't even try to hide it in your thoughts."

Sashi: "Wait, can you read my thoughts!?"

Akina: "No, dumbass. There's no such thing as reading thoughts."

Sashi: "I know that much. I'm just asking cause you seemed to know what was on my mind. No need to be so rude to me."

Akina: "I call everyone rude names. It's not because I actually dislike you, I'm just the kind of person who willingly speaks up what's on their mind. I'm not even that serious half the time."

Still doesn't make it much better.

Akina: "You're kind of easy to predict, so I can easily tell what you're imagining. You probably think I'm not the most qualified person to talk shit about Renora when I don't even know her that well. Not to mention, I can act like a real asshole at times."

Sashi: "W-What? That was exactly what I was thinking."

Akina: "Then let me just say this. I know that already. I know that I don't have any evidence for my disapproval of Renora, nor am the best person to say how people should act. But let me just say this. Me and Renora might have a few similarities here and there, but in general, we are almost complete opposites. While I believe Renora puts on a friendly façade to make herself look like a nicer person than she truly is, I put on a rude façade to make myself look like a worse person than I truly am."

Tetsu: "Is that really true? Is your rude personality truly a façade?"

Akina: "Well, somewhat."

Sashi: "But why would you want to make yourself look like a worse person? Are you trying to make enemies?"

Akina: "That's something I don't really want to talk about. My point is this, don't judge other people for how they acted in the past, nor should you compare them to other people based on what you think you know about them. Just because I acted rude in the past, doesn't mean I'm not allowed to share my thoughts on who I think is a bad person. In the end, you probably know nothing more about me than I know about Renora."

Sashi: "You're, you're absolutely correct. It was wrong of me to judge you for your past actions. I also shouldn't have compared you to Renora. Even though I thought Nori was being too harsh on you and overreacting to your behavior, maybe I still can't truly forgive you for the way treated the women around you. I'm sorry."

Akina: "It's fine. Besides, it is mostly my fault for even acting that way in the first place. Maybe I'm being too harsh on you as well. First of all, it's not like you said it upfront to me. You were only thinking what you truly thought at the time. You're still a much better person than me."

Sashi: "But you said that your rude personality was a façade, right? So, saying I'm a much better person than you could be an exaggeration, don't you think?"

Akina: "Shut the fuck up and just accept my compliment dammit! You're not just a good person, you're a really good person. Not only are you very sweet and kind, but you also try your best to understand other people and think the best of them. Even with people like me, you're always willing to try and understand their reasons for acting the way they do."

Sashi: "Huh? But previously you were saying that I was being too harsh on you and judging you for your past actions."

Akina: "Still, the fact that you thought that Nori overreacted and was being too harsh on me shows that you even care for someone like me. Someone that has acted like a complete asshole to women and still hasn't shown any signs that her views were wrong. Not to mention, you even defended Chimon of all people when he was being cornered against in the last class trial."

Sashi: "Maybe that is true. I don't know. I have a hard time accepting compliments from people sometimes."

Tetsu: "Umm. I think this conversation has been going on for way too long at this point. How about we just go our separate ways now that we've searched all the new unlocked areas of this school?"

Sashi: "You know what. That sounds like a great idea. Goodbye Akina. Sorry if I ruined the mood. You seemed to be having such a great time just playing with your soccer ball."

Akina: "No it's fine. See you later Sashi."

After me and Tetsu left Akina's lab, we said our farewells and headed back to our dorm rooms. However, as soon as I came back to my room, I was suddenly notified by a new message in my monopod. It came from Monokuma.

Monokuma: "Since we don't have any cell phones in this place, I thought of some new way to communicate with our fellow students. Under your monopod, is a section labeled Chatroom. In the Chatroom, you can text messages to all your classmates. All you need to do is set up a profile and you are free to chat away. But if you want to talk privately with a certain classmate, all you need to do is click on their profile in the chatroom, and then click on the chat button. This will link you to a private chatroom between only you and the fellow student of your choice. I hope you all have a fantastic afternoon."

A chatroom where I can communicate with my fellow students? That actually sounds like a lot of fun. So, I instantly pressed the chatroom button, where I made my profile under the name Sashi. Soon enough, I was linked to the public chatroom where people already started chatting.

Yemon joined the conversation

Emnei joined the conversation

Renjiro joined the conversation

Yemon: Hello

Emnei: Hi

Renjiro: I guess we're communicating through chatrooms now

Sashi joined the conversation

Sashi: Good afternoon everyone

I LOVE COCK joined the conversation

I LOVE COCK: I'm so happy about this! This is like a social media platform just for us! I always love communicating with my friends on these kinds of platforms

Yemon: Wtf kind of username is that

Emnei: Umm. I feel really uncomfortable rn

Renora joined the conversation

Chimon joined the conversation

Renora: Nori, is that you?

I LOVE COCK: How did u figure it out already?

Chimon: It's pretty fucking obvious that only someone like you would come up with a username like that

Nori: Am I really that easy to predict?

Chimon: Yes

Tetsu joined the conversation

Tetsu: Hello everyone

Sashi: Hi Tetsu

Emnei: Greetings

Tetsu: I'm kind of happy we're doing this now. It's a lot easier for me to talk like this. It beats having to talk to people in person

Sashi: Well it's nice to know that this platform seems to work just fine

Raging Lesbian joined the conversation

Raging Lesbian: Hello bitches

Renjiro: I guess Akina is here now

Sashi: Hi Akina

Raging Akina: Is everyone already here?

Yemon: No. We are still missing some people. Chiyo, Gyo Shin, and Doryo have yet to show up

Chimon: It's not that surprising that Doryo and Chiyo wouldn't show up, but what about Gyo Shin? I would expect her to arrive

Chiyo joined the conversation

I LOVE COCK: Yay! Chiyo decided to join after all

Renjiro: That's surprising but I'm happy she came

Sashi: I guess she's fine with communicating online

Chiyo: Guys, I have something to tell you

Renjiro: What is it?

Chiyo: Someone broke into my hotel room and found my yuri comics

Renora: wat

Sashi: I-

I LOVE COCK: Wow! I didn't expect someone like you to have such good taste Chiyo

Chiyo: Yeah. I'm actually a lesbian

Renora: Wow. Just admitted it right then and there

Sashi: I'm happy to hear that Chiyo. Don't worry. We all accept you for who you are

Chiyo: Aww thanks

Raging Lesbian: Really? You are also a lesbian?

Chiyo: Yep

Raging Lesbian: Uh. I mean you are kind of cute

Raging Lesbian: Wait, did I say that out loud!?

Sashi: Yeah

Yemon: You sure did

Raging Lesbian: FUCK

Chiyo: Don't worry about it. I think you're cute too

Raging Lesbian: Ahhhhh

Emnei: Are you okay Akina?

Chimon: Should I leave now? I don't think I belong here

Renjiro: Why? Are you a homophobe?

Chimon: No. This kind of romantic stuff just embarrasses me

I LOVE COCK: It's cause you have no romantic feelings yourself Chimon

Chimon: Way to call me out

Raging Lesbian: What are you talking about Chiyo!? I'm not cute at all

Chiyo: I beg to differ

Raging Lesbian: Ahhhh. I'm so embarrassed rn

Chiyo: Do you want to make out in the park together Akina?

Raging Lesbian: AHHHHHHH

Emnei: I honestly think I should leave too. This is making me uncomfortable

I LOVE COCK: Hot

Chiyo: Is that a yes or a no Akina?

Akina: I don't know. Can't we at least go on a date first?

Chiyo: Of course, Akina. I would love to be in a relationship with you

Renora: This is kind of cute ngl

Chiyo joined the conversation

Yemon: Another Chiyo!?

Renjiro: IMPOSTER!

Chiyo: I didn't want to have to come here, but I was watching this conversation and I felt I just had to make this clear. This other Chiyo is clearly a fake. I'm not a lesbian, and I don't have yuri comics. I am a heterosexual female

Sashi: But how do we know you are the real Chiyo?

Raging Lesbian: I-

Chimon: Do I really have to make this clear? Of course it's not the real Chiyo. Hotel rooms are locked tight and can't be broken into. So, unless the door was left wide open or Chiyo left her monopod laying around, nobody should have gained access to her room

I LOVE COCK: Could have fooled me

Chiyo changed her username to Gyo Shin

Gyo Shin: That's right. It was all a PRANK! I'm not actually Chiyo. I was Gyo Shin, who was impersonating her!

Raging Lesbian: FUCK YOU

Chimon: I figured

Renora: Aww. Disappointing

Sashi: Oop. That was awkward

Chiyo: That's all I came here to stay. I'm still not planning on being friends with you guys anymore, so bye

Chiyo left the conversation

Yemon: Wait, don't leave Chiyo

Emnei: Too late

Chimon: Well at least I don't have to deal with all this gross stuff anymore

Raging Lesbian: You're gross! Not me!

Chimon: Whatever

Sashi: I'm sorry Akina

Raging Lesbian: It's fine. I didn't expect to find any non-heterosexual girls in this school

I LOVE COCK: I'm pan tho

Raging Lesbian: Besides u

I LOVE COCK: *Cries*

I'm actually bisexual, but I decided not to mention it. I'm not really interested in Akina romantically, so I don't want to hurt her feelings.

Gyo Shin: Wait, did I actually make u mad Akina?

Raging Lesbian: Yes

Gyo Shin: I'm sorry

Raging Lesbian: It's alright

Yemon: Well, we've seen everyone here except Doryo. But it's probably best if he isn't here anyways

Renjiro: Yeah

Renora: Fuck him

Gangster420 joined the conversation

Yemon: Nevermind

Renjiro: Oop

Gangster 420: Can y'all met me in the park? I hav somthin I ned to talk to y'all about

Chimon: That's definitely Doryo. No one else has spelling that bad

Tetsu: Or that kind of username

Sashi: But I'm surprised that Doryo of all people, has something he wants to tell us. I wonder what it is

Emnei: I have a bad feeling about this. I hope he's not going to trying to get back at me for calling him out in the dining hall earlier today

Gyo Shin: I doubt it. I don't think he would have any dirt on you anyways

I LOVE COCK: You're too innocent to have any dirty secrets anyways Emnei

Emnei: Thanks, I guess

Yemon: Nevertheless, this could be really important. We should come just in case

Emnei: Fine

Sashi: Bye everyone I guess

After saying my farewells, I shut the monopod off. I have a bad feeling about this. Considering what kind of person Doryo is, I doubt any good news would come from this. But like Yemon said, I guess we have no choice. So, I walked out of my dorm room and headed towards the park, where everyone except Chiyo seems to have gathered.

Nori: "Looks like everyone is here."

Renora: "I'm very curious about what the hell Doryo would want to talk about with us."

Renjiro: "Same"

Chimon: "I hate having to get my lazy ass out of my room, so this better not be something really stupid."

While everyone else was sitting down on the grass, Doryo suddenly rose up right in front of all of us.

Doryo: "It looks Chiyo isn't here but fuck her. It doesn't matter if only one person is absent. Besides, you all can share what I'm about to tell you to her later."

Yemon: "What is it that you needed to talk to us about?"

Suddenly Doryo pointed his arm at Chimon, who gave a look of confusion.

Chimon: "Why are you pointing at me?"

Doryo: "You see this guy right here? This guy is actually a fucking faggot!"

Renjiro: "Is that seriously all you came here to tell us?"

Emnei: "You call me a faggot all the time when I'm actually straight. How is it any different when it's someone else you are calling a faggot?"

We all thought this was just one of Doryo's petty insults, but when I looked at Chimon's face, it seemed to show an expression of extreme nervousness. But why is he having this reaction? Is Chimon actually attracted to men?

Chimon: "W-What the fuck are you talking about?"

Doryo: "It seems like everyone doesn't seem to believe me on this. I figured this would fucking happen. So, I brought evidence."

Doryo suddenly reached in his pocket and pulled out what looked to be a paper scrunched up into a ball. He slowly unraveled the piece of paper.

Nori: "A piece of paper? How is that evidence?"

Doryo: "Can you all guess what this is?"

Gyo Shin: "It seems to be notebook paper. It looks like it was ripped out."

Akina: "Now that you mention it, I have seen Chimon scribble in his notebook before. I wonder if it came from that."

Doryo: "That is correct. But can you all guess what's actually on this piece of notebook paper?"

Renora: "Is it yaoi?"

Doryo: "What the fuck is yaoi?"

Renora: "Never mind then."

Sashi: "Can't you just show it already?"

Doryo: "Fine. I guess you are all too fucking stupid to figure out what's on this piece of paper anyways."

Doryo flipped the paper he was holding and showed it to us. What appeared was some kind of drawing. But it wasn't just any drawing. It was a drawing of Yemon, except he was shirtless. Did Chimon actually draw this? I mean it makes the fact that he has a crush on Yemon pretty fucking clear, but it actually looks really good. It almost looks professional in terms of how amazing the drawing looked.

Yemon: "Wait, what? Is that supposed to be me?"

Instantly, everyone grew silent. There was no doubt. Doryo called us all here just so he could out Chimon publicly in front of everyone. But what makes it even worse is that the person that Chimon apparently drew shirtless, was sitting right next to him. I took a glance at Chimon, who's expression changed from nervousness, to outright anger. This was clearly something he didn't want to be known publicly, especially right in front of his crush.

Chimon: "You! Where the fuck did you find this!?!"

Doryo: "I don't fucking know. Maybe you shouldn't have tossed away your drawing in the park trash bin for everyone to fucking see, faggot!"

Chimon: "THE FUCK YOU SAY TO ME!!!"

Chimon suddenly started screaming in fury. It was actually kind of scary. Even in the class trials, I never saw him this angry.

Doryo: "I'm so sorry for telling the goddamn truth! You are a faggot; this drawing proves it! Honestly, gays like you should just burn in hell for all I care!"

Chimon: "THAT'S IT!!! I FUCKING HAD IT WITH YOU!!!"

Chimon suddenly got up and started dashing towards Doryo. Instantly, I knew what he was about to do. I had to warn Chimon right now, or he could get seriously hurt.

Sashi: "Wait Chimon! Don't do this!"

But my efforts were in vain. Chimon instantly lunged at Doryo, knocking him straight to the ground. He then started punching Doryo in the face with all his might, causing his face to start bruising and bleeding. But it didn't take long for Doryo to fight back. Doryo pushed Chimon away from him and onto the ground, and he started stomping on Chimon's face with his shoe several times, causing his nose to bleed furiously. After that, he punched Chimon in the stomach over and over again. It was honestly a fucking brutal scene. It was really hard to watch. But it didn't take long for people in the audience to start to take action.

Yemon: "GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM HIM DORYO!!!"

Yemon started running at Doryo at high speed. Instantly, Doryo stopped stomping on Chimon's face and turned his head away. Yemon then pushed Doryo's body away from on top of Chimon and threw him onto the ground stomach first, causing his face to hit the grass below. Yemon then grabbed Doryo's arms and held them tightly behind him, pinning him to the ground.

Yemon: "I GOT HIM!!! Chimon, leave now! This is for your own benefit!"

While Chimon struggled a bit with his footing, clearly being injured from the fight, he managed to slowly lift himself off of the ground. Even though Yemon told him to run away, I was a bit worried about Chimon's injuries and whether he was stable enough to walk. So, I walked towards Chimon, and held his shoulder with my hand.

Sashi: "Are you okay Chimon?"

Chimon: "Don't touch me!"

Chimon instantly pushed my hand away from his shoulder and started running away from the park. It seems like he really didn't need my help after all.

Emnei: "Wait Chimon! You don't have to run away!"

But it was too late. Chimon had already ran away from our sights. It was clear he didn't want to be anywhere near us. I guess we just have to pray that he's alright after that brutal fight.

Renjiro; "Look at what the fuck you did Doryo!? Honestly, the more I interact with you, the less likeable you get!"

Akina: "Seriously! What the fuck is wrong with you!?"

Everyone started screaming at Doryo. Normally he would make such jerkass comeback to us, but him being pinned to the ground by Yemon made him too afraid to say anything. Even if he did say anything, we probably wouldn't hear it with his face in the grass.

Yemon: "Alright Doryo! I'm going to let you go now! But don't even fucking think about trying to pick a fight with me! Because you and I both know that I'm both bigger and physically stronger than you in every way possible! So, don't be a fucking dumbass!"

Yemon let go of Doryo's arms and walked away from him. Doryo got up to his feet, and after taking a brief glance at the other students, ran back to his dorm as well.

Yemon: "That's right! Leave, you fucking coward!"

Nori: "I really hope Chimon is alright. He looked pretty beat up after that fight."

Tetsu: "Yeah. Hopefully he's better tomorrow."

Akina: "To be honest, with how angry he looked about Doryo forcing him out of the closet, I doubt he would even want to speak to us tomorrow. He clearly didn't want us to know about this."

Gyo Shin: "He especially wouldn't want to come to the dining hall while Yemon is still there. It would be really awkward."

Emnei: "I really hope you both are wrong. I want Chimon to socialize with us more."

Sashi: "Of course, this had to happen right after Chimon started interacting with us more and coming to the dining hall meetings."

Nori: "Well, let's all worry about this tomorrow. It's almost nighttime, so I think we should head back to our rooms now. Goodnight everyone."

Renora: "Goodnight."

With feelings of worry still on my mind, I decided to walk back to my dorm room. As soon as I came inside, the announcement I came to despise reached my ears.

Monokuma: "Attention, everyone. It is now 10:00 P.M. As such, it is officially nighttime. Remember that you cannot go to the gym nor the dining hall at night. Murders also cannot be committed during this time, so please wait until the next morning to start killing. Now then, goodnight everyone."

It's nighttime. I guess I should go to sleep then. I really hope Chimon is alright. I know he can be a real douche at times, but even a person like him doesn't deserve what happened to him earlier. And I'm sure everyone else felt the same way. Who knows? Maybe this will be the time when we finally get to understand him. All these thoughts plagued me as I slowly drifted to sleep.

...

Monokuma: "Good morning everyone. If you heard this announcement, that means that it is 7:00 A.M and nighttime is officially over. The dining hall and gym will now be open, and you're free to kill as much as you want. Get ready for another beautiful day in your killing school semester."

I really wish these nights lasted longer. It's the only time I don't have to worry about people being murdered. But I guess I can't change that. I guess I should just head to the dining hall now. But first, I should check my monopod and see if there are any new messages in the chatroom.

Yemon: Gm everyone

I LOVE DICK: Gm

Emnei: Is everyone ready to head to the dining hall today?

Renora: Of course

Sashi: Yep

Emnei: I guess I should rephrase the question. Who isn't coming to the dining hall today?

A few minutes passed, but no one responded. I guess that means that everyone is heading to the dining hall today

Emnei: I guess that answers my question

Renjiro: Wait hold on, what about Chiyo and Chimon?

Gangster420: Well they didn't answer Emnei's queston. So obviously they arent comeng, you fuckeng dumass

Raging Lesbian: Like u are one to fucking talk. I doubt Chimon and especially Chiyo would come to the dining hall

Gyo Shin: Chiyo didn't come yesterday, and she still seems adamant about not talking to us. So I doubt she would have a sudden change of heart

Tetsu: Not to mention, after what happened yesterday, I doubt Chimon would willingly interact with us. He probably thinks we are all going to attack him for his sexuality

I LOVE DICK: But why would he think that? I doubt any of us actually care that he likes men. Well, except Doryo

Yemon: That may be what we think, but Chimon probably thinks otherwise. Considering how angry he was about Doryo pulling him out of the closet, he must have really not wanted us knowing about it

Sashi: I honestly can't blame him. Considering we are in a killing game, where anyone could easily kill u within a blink of the eye, it would make sense that he wouldn't want others to know a fact that could easily make others target him for it

Emnei: Not to mention, to be revealed to have been drawing your crush shirtless right in front of them, it would be really awkward to speak with them or even be in the same room as them afterwards

Renjiro: Speaking of. You are surprisingly casual about Chimon having a crush on you Yemon. Or at least u aren't talking about it much

Yemon: Why the hell would I care what he thinks about me in his free time. It doesn't have anything to do with me. Hell, I'm actually pretty flattered

Raging Lesbian: Damn. That's actually pretty respectful of u

Gyo Shin: So, are you saying that Chiyo and Chimon aren't coming to the dining hall? Then why aren't they saying anything?"

Tetsu: They are probably so shy about human interaction that they refuse to even check the monopods

Renora: Wow Tetsu. You're a lot more talkative than usual

Tetsu: Yeah. I figured if I really want to help get out of this situation with you guys, then communication is key. I've already interacted with you all enough to trust you guys, except Chimon and Doryo. I still don't trust them. Besides, it's not like we're actually talking in person

I LOVE DICK: Still I'm worried about Chiyo and Chimon. I think we should pay them a visit in their dorms and try to encourage them to come to the dining hall today

Sashi: In that case, I'll be happy to volunteer. I'll talk to them both

Gyo Shin: Wait, can I help?

Huh? Gyo Shin? That's not the person I would expect

Yemon: You want to talk to them Gyo Shin?

Gyo Shin: Yeah. Well mostly just Chiyo. I don't know. Maybe it's because of her childish appearance and mannerisms, but I really like her. I do love children after all. I feel like she's someone I can really reach out to and help

I LOVE COCK: Wait, can I help with Chimon then? I feel like as a fellow non-straight person, I could really relate to him and help deal with his issues

Raging Lesbian: Wow. It feels like everyone actually likes Chimon now. In the last trial in particular, it felt like everyone, me included, hated him for generally be a huge asshole to everyone

I LOVE COCK: Oh, don't get me wrong. I still don't really like or trust him. But if there's any chance for me to get to understand him and talk with him, I'll happily take it

Renjiro: Yeah. Even though I still hate his fucking guts, he didn't deserve what happened to him yesterday. Him being a closeted gay or bi guy still doesn't excuse his behavior, but I still feel bad for him at least some level

Emnei: Well I guess we should head to the dining hall now while Gyo Shin, Sashi, and Nori talk to those that don't want to come

Renora: Sounds good

Yemon: I'll see you guys there

As it seemed like everyone was finished texting, I closed my monopod and headed out of my dorm after getting ready. Just outside my dorm, I saw Gyo Shin and Nori waiting.

Nori: "Hello Sashi."

Sashi: "Hi, hi."

Gyo Shin: "You ready to talk to them now?"

Sashi: "You bet."

Nori: "Let's talk to Chimon first. Since he was in the dining hall only yesterday, I feel like he would be easier to talk to."

Gyo Shin: "Ok."

Me and the others headed towards Chiyo's dorm room and rang the bell. Soon after, Chimon slowly opened the door, with his face still looking heavily beat up from the fight.

Sashi: "Good morning Chimon."

Chimon: "What the fuck do you guys want?"

Nori: "Well we never saw you text us in the chatroom earlier, so we were worried about you. Plus, you still look really injured from that brutal fight with Doryo last night. That coupled with you angrily running away. It all made us anxious about you."

Chimon: "Don't be. Why the hell do you guys care so much about an asshole like me?"

Sashi: "Why wouldn't we be? We're your friend Chimon."

Chimon: "Friend? Who decided that?"

Gyo Shin: "All of us. Why wouldn't we consider you a friend?"

Chimon: "Just a day or two or ago, you all saw me as your enemy."

Nori: "Well that's all in the past now. Anyways, we came here to ask you whether you were coming to the dining hall or not today."

Chimon: "No."

Blunt as always Chimon.

Sashi: "Are you saying you're not coming to the dining hall today?"

Chimon: "Why would I after what happened yesterday?"

Nori: "Chimon. Are you afraid that people will judge you for your sexuality?"

Chimon: "Yeah. I'm not going to socialize with people who could easily try to kill me because their own prejudices."

Gyo Shin: "Do you honestly think people would kill you over something so petty?"

Chimon: "In a situation like this, yes."

Nori: "Listen Chimon. I've talked about it with the other students in the chatroom, and none other than Doryo seems to care that you are attracted to guys. Hell, I'm openly pansexual and I haven't received much discrimination in general other than maybe the occasional insensitive comment."

Gyo Shin: "Also, if you're worried about Yemon, he literally said he doesn't care that you are attracted to him."

Chimon: "All of that may be true, but I don't like socializing with you people in general. I've said this from the start. Socializing with your peers is how you get betrayed. Simply talking to other people is dangerous. The best course of action is to just lock yourself in your room armed with a weapon."

Sashi: "Then why did you come to the dining hall the last two days?"

Chimon: "I don't fucking know. That was just a temporary thing. I guess I was just trying to make sure nobody died or anything, which did happen with Fudoki."

Sashi: "Or maybe it's because you secretly like talking to us."

Chimon: "W-What! Of course not! I hate all of you!"

Nori: "I don't know. You are giving off major tsundere vibes right now."

Chimon: "Stop calling me that!"

Gyo Shin: "Well guess what. We're happy to talk to you too. So why don't you come to the dining hall just for today?"

Chimon: "FINE!!!"

Nori: "Yay! I knew we could get through to you."

Chimon: "Just don't expect this to become a recurring thing, alright."

Sashi: "We won't."

Nori: "We'll I'll head to the dining hall now with Chimon. You guys should go talk to Chiyo. I need to get there in order to prepare the food for everyone."

Gyo Shin: "Ok."

Nori walked towards the cafeteria while Chimon got out of his dorm room and slowly followed behind, making it clear that he was trying to keep his distance from her. Afterwards, me and Gyo Shin walked over to Chiyo's room and I ran the doorbell. However, there was no response. So, I ran the doorbell again. Still no response. Eventually, I started repeatedly ringing the doorbell until finally Chiyo came out.

Chiyo: "Sigh. What did I tell you guys earlier? I'm not longer socializing with any of you. I'm tired of making friends with people that I know are just going to die a few days later. And you don't seem to have any food on your hands."

Sashi: "Good morning Chiyo."

Chiyo: ".........."

Gyo Shin: "I know you said you wouldn't interact with us any longer, but I really want you to come to the dining hall today. We're all worried about you. Besides, without you coming to the dining hall, we would have no way of knowing whether you are still alive."

Chiyo: "How many times do I have to say!? I'm not talking to you people anymore! It's just makes me more upset than happy!"

Chiyo suddenly started crying again. She was still clearly still emotional about the deaths of her previous friends. She really didn't want to have to deal with this situation anymore. But then something happened that I would have never expected. Gyo Shin suddenly walked over to Chiyo and started hugging her tightly.

Chiyo: "W-What!"

Gyo Shin: "Listen Chiyo. I know the current situation is hard and all. Trust me, it's difficult for the rest of us as well. But locking yourself in your room and avoiding us does nothing to help the situation. Don't you want to get out of this place?"

Chiyo: "Well yes."

Gyo Shin: "And don't you want to prevent any more murders from happening?"

Chiyo: "I don't think I can prevent it, but yeah."

Gyo Shin: "Finally, don't you secretly want to stay friends with all of us? Not just stay friends, but strengthen your bonds with us even further?"

Chiyo: "Uhhh. Of course not. Well. Actually, yeah."

Gyo Shin: "Then you have to get yourself out of your dorm room. The only way you can do all of these things is if you cooperate with all of us."

Chiyo: "But we did that before, and it just resulted in more murders."

Even though Chiyo was still arguing against Gyo Shin, she was a lot calmer about it. It felt like Gyo Shin's hug really made her feel better about it. I'm kind of surprised that Gyo Shin of all people would suddenly start hugging Chiyo like this. It's really weird, because the past few days, she has been acting kind of unusual. Not only has she admitted to her smiling happiness being a façade, but she started lashing out at people around her, at least during the last class trial. Not to mention the kind of awful jokes she made when Fudoki died. Is this what Gyo Shin like when she's actually socializing and not having to deal with the deaths of her peers?

Gyo Shin: "Then we were just not trying hard enough! There's bound to be some way we can stop any more murders from happening and get out of this situation together!"

Chiyo: "Ummm, if you say so. Also, can you please stop with the hugging. It's making me kind of uncomfortable."

Gyo Shin: "Oh, sorry."

Gyo Shin let go of Chiyo, and instantly Chiyo's face seemed to no longer have tears streaming out of it.

Sashi: "So after hearing all of that, don't you agree it's time to finally start talking with the other students now?"

Chiyo: "I guess, at least for now. I really hope this doesn't result in the death of another friend that I chose specifically to talk to."

Sashi: "It won't. I promise."

Chiyo: "I really hope you're right."

Deep inside, I was also worried about more murders happening. In a way, Chiyo was kind of right. It is pretty difficult to stop people from being killed, especially when taking Monokuma's motives into account. But still, I decided to be optimistic. Not only to make Chiyo feel better, but also to convince myself.

Gyo Shin: "You ready to head to the dining hall now then?"

Chiyo: "Yeah."

We all walked towards the dining hall and headed inside, where everyone else was already waiting, including Chimon.

Renora: "Hey Chiyo! It looks like you two were able to convince her to come anyways."

Yemon: "It's nice to have you back Chiyo."

Chiyo: "Good morning everyone. I really didn't want to talk to you guys anymore, but after Gyo Shin and Sashi talked to me about me, I've decided that cooperation and friendship is the most important thing in a situation like this."

Nori: "It's nice to hear that from you Chiyo. I was worried that you would stay like this forever."

Akina: "It's also not so bad having Chimon with us for once. Who knows? Maybe he will finally grow to like us after having interacted with us for so long."

Emnei: "Speaking of. Chimon, are you gay, bi, or pan? We know you are attracted to guys, but that's about it."

Chimon: "Why do you need to know?"

Emnei: "I don't need to know. I'm just curious."

Chimon: "To answer your question, I'm gay. Always have been and always will."

Renjiro: "You don't really act very gay though."

Chimon: "What the fuck is that supposed to mean? Are gays supposed to act a certain way?"

Renjiro: "I guess not. You just don't act like the stereotypical flamboyant gay man, which I see a lot."

Chimon: "Yeah, you probably only see it a lot on TV. It's a stereotype for a reason."

Yemon: "Well now that everyone is here, I guess we should eat."

Sashi: "Sounds good."

Soon, everyone began to start eating and discussing various topics with each other. While Chimon was still mostly quiet during the whole thing, it didn't take long for Chiyo to return to her cheerful, talkative self. After everyone finished eating, we all returned to our dorm rooms. But I shouldn't just daydream all day. I should try spending this time to get to know some of my classmates.

FREETIME START

I guess I'll continue talking to Yemon. He's probably in his lab right now, so I decided to head over there. Sure enough, he was right inside, seemingly tinkering around with the race car's engine.

Sashi: "Hey Yemon. Want to hang out for a bit?"

Yemon: "Well, I'm kind of busy right now, as you can see. But we can just talk right here if you like. How about I show you around this race car, inside and out? I'll tell you all about the parts inside and what purpose they serve. Basically, I just want to talk about this race car. It's so goddamn amazing!"

I listened to Yemon's lecture about vehicles as he showed me around the race car and all it's parts while I daydreamed due to how boring it all was.

Yemon and I grew a little closer today.

Yemon: "Hey Sashi. Do you remember what we talked about last time we hanged out?"

Sashi: "You were talking about your family, correct?"

Yemon: "Yep. I was telling you how it's difficult to take care of such a large family, but it can also be rewarding, at least in my opinion."

Sashi: "So why are you bringing this up now?"

Yemon: "Because I have some more to tell you about them, if you would like to hear it."

Sashi: "Sure. But why are we talking so much about your family? Why aren't we talking more about you?"

Yemon: "That's a good question. I guess there really isn't that much to know about me. I'm not the most exciting person out there."

Sashi: "Really? There's not anything you can tell me about yourself?"

Yemon: "Nothing in particular that I haven't already talked about. At least, nothing comes to mind at the moment. But honestly, a lot of my family is linked to me as a person, you know."

Sashi: "That's honestly kind of surprising."

Yemon: "What? Did you expect some super tragic and sad backstory? I have a pretty normal and boring life."

Honestly, considering the people I talked to earlier, I kind of did expect that.

Sashi: "Well, I guess that explains why you always seem to be in a good mood. Because your life is so great, you have nothing to be upset about. Well, besides this killing game of course."

Yemon: "That's certainly part of it. But I mostly think it's just my personality. Not many people can easily stay happy in a situation like this. Well, if there is one thing to say about me, I guess I do make a good leader of sorts."

Sashi: "That's definitely true. You are not just a great leader; you are an amazing leader. Honestly, you should try running for prime minister or something!"

Yemon: "Hell no! I have neither the political knowledge nor experience to even apply for that kind of position. Even if I do end up do somehow obtain both of those things, it's definitely not a job I want to have! My dream is all on the racetracks, baby!"

Sashi: "Well yeah, I kind of figured. I wasn't even that serious about it anyways."

Yemon: "You know what? I think my leadership skills may have come from my stepfather. Not my current one, the previous one. The one that my mom divorced. He used to serve as a military general, you know."

Sashi: "Really!? That's so cool! What's he doing now!?"

Yemon: "Well currently, he's a drill sergeant since he's too old to apply for most other military positions. But can we please not talk about him? He's a story for another time."

Sashi: "But of course."

Yemon: "Anyways, we are getting way off topic here. Sashi, do you also remember when I told you about me having to quit school for a few years due to family matters?"

Sashi: "Yeah. You kind of brushed the topic away at the time."

Yemon: "I just didn't think you would want to hear about my personal issues. I barely knew you, and it was none of your business at the time."

Sashi: "That's understandable."

Yemon: "Anyways, I've talked about having such a large family and how troublesome it can be. But the most difficult thing of all is providing enough income to support the entire family. My mom is just a housewife, while my current stepdad only works as a high school teacher. Not exactly the most profitable of jobs out there. With so many family members, you can easily do the math on how difficult it is to support everyone and each of their needs."

Sashi: "So is that why you quit school? Were you trying to find a job in order to provide more money for the family?"

Yemon: "That's exactly it."

Sashi: "Are you even allowed to do that?"

Yemon: "Well, I was 17 at the time and had already finished 11th grade, so my family figured I was at the age I could do things on my own for a while. Besides, the school realized that this was absolutely necessary in order to support my family, so they let me leave for two years. But by the time I was finished, I got wrapped up in this mess. Maybe I should have graduated high school after all. Then I wouldn't have to deal with all of this bullshit."

Sashi: "What the hell are you even saying Yemon!? You needed to do this to support your family! You definitely made the right decision! Besides, there was no way you could have predicted this kind of situation would happen!"

Yemon: "Yeah. You're right. Thanks to me, my family is doing a lot better financially. I managed to save enough money to fulfill all of their needs for FIVE whole years. And that's all just from cash I won from street races."

Sashi: "Street races give you that much money!?"

Yemon: "Well, I was doing it for two whole years. Not to mention, I had some pretty rich friends. They were mostly the ones who set up these races."

Sashi: "Well, I think I should be going now. It was nice talking to you Yemon."

Yemon: "Goodbye Sashi."

Even though Yemon claims that he lives a very boring life and that there's not much to know about him, I feel like I learned a lot of interesting stuff today. But what struck me the most was that the fact that his stepfather was a military general. Yemon said he didn't want to talk about him at the moment, which just made me even more curious. Why didn't he want to discuss his stepfather? I guess I just have to find out another day.

Friendship Fragments 4/6: Yemon

After my conversation with Yemon was finished, I headed back to my room. But after I rested in my bed for a while, I my monopod suddenly vibrated. I must have got a notification. So, I pulled out my monopod, where I noticed that Emnei has messaged me. I clicked on the message and it instantly transported me to a private chatroom between him and me.

Emnei: Hey, Sashi. Can u please come over to the school park? I set up a picnic for me, u, Chimon, and Tetsu to all have together. I feel like both Chimon and Tetsu are people we really need to get to know better. As such, I provided a perfect opportunity for us all to talk and open up to each other

A picnic? Is Emnei really serious? That's something like only elementary school students ever think of. But I really do want to get to know Chimon and Tetsu better, so I guess I'll come along anyways.

Sashi: Of course. I'll be right over

Emnei: Thank you Sashi. I knew you would agree to it

Sashi: Np

After I sent my last text, I closed my monopod and headed over to the park, where I noticed a huge blanket was laying on the grass. A picnic basket filled with sandwiches, fruit, and sodas was put in the middle. Of course, everyone was already sitting on the blanket.

Sashi: "Hello everyone."

Emnei: "And Sashi's finally here! I guess that means everyone has arrived! I just want to thank you all for coming to my picnic!"

Tetsu: "It's no problem. I mean, who could say no to food and talking to all you wonderful people?"

Chimon: "I still think this is a really dumb idea. Seriously Emnei, are you really a high school student? What kind of high school student comes up with a picnic out of all the things to do together?"

Emnei: "Personally, I don't think there's a such thing as too old for anything. Except maybe wearing diapers and sucking your own thumb."

Sashi: "That's not a maybe. That's a definitely."

Chimon: "Anyways. Why the fuck did you invite me in the first place? I'm not exactly a pleasant person."

Emnei: "Well, that's sort of true. But that's part of why I'm inviting you in the first place, because I want to get to know you better. I feel like you are a lot softer than you seem at first glance, and I want to reveal that side to everyone, so no one has to hate you anymore."

Tetsu: "Besides, it's best if we try to be friends with everyone here, even those that we don't particularly like or care about. The nicer we are to each other, the less likely we are to start killing each other."

Chimon: "Well, I guess that's okay."

Sashi: "Huh!? I'd expect you to rant about how friendship leads to betrayal and all that! Why are you suddenly on board with us becoming friends!?"

Chimon: "Well, if it's just one person, I'd be suspicious of course. However, if it is multiple people that all want to be friends with me, then that's alright. I mean, there's no reason for people to work together when committing murder in a situation like this, so there's no reason for you guys to plot against me. Besides, I trust you guys."

Emnei: "Aww. So you really like us after all."

Chimon: "What the fuck are you talking about? This isn't a matter about like or dislike. It's about who to trust and not trust. Who am I, Nori? I don't blindly believe in people just because I like them."

Tetsu: "Okay, tsundere."

Sashi: "Haha. Even Tetsu is in on the joke."

Chimon: "I fucking hate all of you. I swear, I'm going to murder you all someday. He-fucking-hehe."

Sashi: "Are you making fun of my laugh!?"

Chimon: "Yes."

Emnei: "So honest!"

I guess that's Chimon for you. I have a feeling that some things will just never change about him. But that's just what makes him unique.

Tetsu: "But anyways. What should we talk about now that we are here?"

Emnei: "Hmmm. Well, I guess we should learn a little bit about ourselves by asking questions to each other. So, Tetsu. I know you have been a lot more talkative now, but why were you so quiet before? Is it social anxiety, or..."

Tetsu: "Yeah. In a way."

Sashi: "When did you even start doing this silent treatment to other people? Because I doubt you just did it at this academy."

Tetsu: "I've done for the last year and a half at my high school, which is a pretty long time. But I really don't want to talk about this. Maybe I'll discuss it privately with one of you at some point, but definitely not in front of us all."

Emnei: "That's perfectly fine. You don't have to talk about anything you don't want to."

Sashi: "How about Chimon should share something about him to us as well? I'm sure there is something significant about yourself that is worth sharing."

Chimon: "Well, there's definitely a lot to know about me, but not very much I want to share with you all."

Tetsu: "Aww. And here I was, thinking you had warmed up to us by now."

Chimon: "Why is it my life any of your business anyways?"

Sashi: "Relax, Chimon. You don't have to share anything too personal. We just want to get to know you as a person."

Chimon: "What is there to know about me? Like, for real? Why don't you just ask me questions like Emnei originally stated."

Tetsu: "Well then, I've got a question for you Chimon. Is it true that you don't actually know your ultimate talent, if you even have one at all?"

Chimon: "Why are you bringing that up now?"

Tetsu: "I mean, it's kind of suspicious, not going to lie. Out of all the people here, you are conveniently the only one who doesn't remember his ultimate talent? Why should we trust you are telling the truth?"

Chimon: "What the hell are you trying to say to me? Are you thinking I'm secretly working for the mastermind or some bullshit!?"

Tetsu: "Of course not. I mean, I don't want to suspect you of any wrongdoing. It's just that in a situation like this, it's important to acknowledge suspicious things. Especially since you seem to be dodging my original question."

Chimon: "I'm not suspicious, alright! I swear, I don't fucking remember my talent! So, can you please drop the goddamn topic already!?!"

Tetsu: "Ahhhhh! Please don't yell at me! I'm sorry, okay!"

Sashi: "Hey, Chimon! Don't scream at her! You might really scare her!"

Emnei: "Seriously. What on earth was up with your reaction right now?"

Chimon: "I just don't like it when people suspect me for no good reason."

To be honest, it kind of was a good reason. Chimon is a pretty suspicious person, and his attitude is definitely not doing him any favors.

Chimon: "Also, Tetsu. Are you okay?"

Tetsu: "......."

Tetsu just looked down at the ground, completely ignoring him. It seems that Chimon's yelling struck her silent.

Emnei: "Great job Chimon. After all the time we spent getting her to open up, you are making her stay silent once again."

Chimon: "I didn't think I hurt her so bad. Listen Tetsu. I'm sorry, okay."

Tetsu: "....... Are you going to yell at me again?"

Chimon: "Of course not. There's no need to be so shy."

Tetsu: "Thank you for apologizing."

Chimon: "No problem."

Sashi: "Wow. Even though you yelling at her was a major overreaction, I think your apology was the nicest thing I've heard come out of your mouth recently."

Chimon: "I'm not a nice person. I just don't like it when I make people that legitimately upset. I don't want her to be scared of me or anything."

Emnei: "Well, I think we've learned something valuable about Chimon from all of this. He may act tough, but in reality, he has a heart of gold."

Chimon: "Stop saying stuff like that. You're being too nice to me. An asshole like me doesn't deserve such treatment."

Sashi: "I think this apology of yours proves that you aren't really an asshole."

Chimon: "Fucking whatever. Anyways, isn't it time we learn a little about Emnei and Sashi?"

Sashi: "Oh no. My life is extremely uneventful. There's nothing significant to know about me."

Emnei: "Yeah, me either."

Tetsu: "Then are we done here for today? It's getting pretty late now."

Sashi: "Yeah. I think we should head back to our rooms before it gets too dark."

Emnei: "Well, thank you all once again for coming. It was a pleasure talking to you all."

As such, we all split apart and went to our own separate rooms. But not long after I rested on my bed, an all too familiar announcement hit my earlobes.

Monokuma: "Attention, everyone. It is now 10:00 P.M. As such, it is officially nighttime. Remember that you cannot go to the gym nor the dining hall at night. Murders also cannot be committed during this time, so please wait until the next morning to start killing. Now then, goodnight everyone."

Another day has passed by. This day was actually surprisingly peaceful, with nothing bad particularly happening today. But all that does is just make me more worried for the eventual tomorrow. These thoughts plagued my mind as I suddenly drifted into a restless sleep.

.....

Monokuma: "Good morning everyone. If you heard this announcement, that means that it is 7:00 A.M and nighttime is officially over. The dining hall and gym will now be open, and you're free to kill as much as you want. Get ready for another beautiful day in your killing school semester."

Another new day. I can't wait to see what new horrors await me this time. I guess I should check my monopod before heading to the dining hall.

Yemon: Gm everyone

I LOVE DICK: Gm

Chimon: When are you going to change that username Nori? It's honestly disgusting to look at

Renjiro: That's rich, coming from you

Chimon: Tf is that supposed to mean

Gangster420: Honestly u shold change ur nickname to dat so every 1 can be remendid of how much of a fag u are

Chimon: It's honestly hard to take those insults seriously from a guy with such poor spelling and grammar. Not to mention the username

Nori: Aww, you're no fun. You happy now Chimon?

Chimon: Yes

Renora: Hey everyone. I have a very important announcement to make at the dining hall today, so you better stick around

Gyo Shin: This makes me curious, ngl. What kind of announcement is this?

Renora: I'll explain all the details there, so please come at soon as possible

Emnei: I guess we're heading over now then

Tetsu: Bye

What kind of announcement does Renora need to make? This also piques my curiosity. As soon as I got ready, my curiosity caused me to race over to the dining hall.

Yemon: "Wow Sashi. You're earlier than usual."

Sashi: "Well of course. Considering Renora said she had an important announcement to make, I figured I should get here as fast as possible."

I waited for everyone else to come in. As soon as they did, Renora began her speech.

Renora: "Well it looks like everyone is here, so I guess I'll begin. Over the course of our lives here, we lost not one, not two, not three, but four other students, which is a number far too many. Despite our efforts, we could not stop the previous two murders from happening. But we still want to prevent the killing of more people, so here's the question. How do we stop anyone else from becoming a victim? I would like to hear all of your answers."

Nori: "Maybe another party? That was what we did first."

Renjiro: "And how well did that end up turning out? Besides, considering we haven't even received a motive yet, throwing a party is pointless. It would only stop murders for a very small period of time. In that case, someone could kill another just the next day."

Chiyo: "I honestly think Nori just wants to get wasted again."

Nori: "Wow Chiyo. You know me so well."

Chimon: "Or maybe you are just easy as fuck to predict. I swear your entire brain is just sex, drugs, and parties."

Nori: "Hey. That's not all I think about! Just so you know, I was able to think about anything other than drugs and sex for a total of twenty seconds straight! Isn't that impressive?"

Emnei: "Um Nori, are you okay? You sound like a total addict right now."

Nori: "Of course I'm fine. I'm just ... kidding! I mean, who would think about those types of things at a time like this, am I right? Who the hell would do such a thing?"

Gyo Shin: "The way you are phrasing these questions make you sound super suspicious."

Sashi: "Nori does like to joke around a lot though, so she might just be putting up an act."

Tetsu: "Maybe we should confiscate all murder weapons in this school, Renora?"

Renora: "That's actually an excellent idea Tetsu. But here's what I'm thinking for now. What is the best way to stop crime?"

Gyo Shin: "Just call the Wee Woo!"

Renora: "Wee Woo? What kind of name is that? It sounds like something an elementary school student would come up with."

Yemon: "I think she means police."

Gyo Shin: "Police? No, no. I actually meant the Po Po."

Renora: "Can we please stop coming up with stupid nicknames for the police? It's not like we can contact them anyways."

Emnei: "Then how about the government?"

Renora: "Emnei, that's exactly what I was thinking!"

Chimon: "But the police are technically a part of the government. Besides, if they were going to help us, they would have done it earlier by now."

Renora: "I'm not talking about our government; I was talking about possibly creating a government in Hope's Peak Academy!"

Chiyo: "Say what now?"

Renora: "All societies need a government to provide proper order and prevent crime. In a situation like this, a government is absolutely necessary. A government where one student rules above the others, providing rules for them to follow and punish those who do not listen to them. The leader is personally responsible for preventing any murders from happening. As such, laws will be passed to prevent such actions."

Nori: "That actually sounds like a wonderful idea! But who's going to be the leader in this government of ours?"

Renora: "Since I suggested the idea, I will take the role as leader."

Uh oh, this could be bad. Considering Renora's true personality, this could turn out to be more detrimental than helpful. She might not even be doing this to help us, but to somehow serve her selfish desires. But nobody knows of this except me and Tetsu. However, I can't just burst out what Renora did to Tetsu right in front of everyone. Considering the threats that Renora gave me, it might not be the best idea. Still, I decided to object purely on Renora's forceful nature.

Sashi: "Hold on. Why are you suddenly taking the position? What makes you so suitable for the role?"

Renora: "If I didn't know what I was doing with this role, I wouldn't have suggested the idea of a government in the first place. Trust me, I will prevent you all from becoming a victim."

Gyo Shin: "Still, isn't it better if we pick the leader rather than a single person suddenly deciding to take the role? We can decide it by popular vote."

Akina: "Isn't this a democracy?"

Renora: "Democracy, you say? Well, I will state that I would be our ruler and that's final."

Akina: "Is this a dictatorship!?"

Gyo Shin: "Renora is a fascist."

Renjiro: "Hey! No politics please! Our personal views of how a government should be run are not up for debate! If Renora is a fascist, so be! That's her own personal opinion!"

Chimon: "Do you even know what a fascist means, dumbass?

Renjiro: "I was making a joke, dumbass."

Chimon: "I figured."

Renora: "Relax everyone. This isn't a complete dictatorship. While I am choosing myself as the leader, I will allow you all to select two disciples to work as my co-leaders."

Emnei: "Well. Nori and Yemon seem like excellent leaders. I bet they would be perfect for the position."

Chiyo: "Sounds good to me."

Yemon: "I would love to serve the position."

Nori: "Me too."

Renora: "Is everyone decided on these two being the co-leaders?"

Tetsu: "Seems like it."

Renora: "Alright then. Next, we should discuss the new laws that will take place. Law No.1: No entering the warehouse, nor the armory. These are dangerous places that have tons of weapons and tools that could easily be used for murder."

Chiyo: "But I get hungry at night, and the only candy I like is stored in the warehouse."

Renora: "Then how about this? If you really need something from the warehouse, and only the warehouse, you can ask a co-leader to get it for you. But that's only if it is something completely harmless that in no way can be used in a murder."

Sashi: "That seems fair, but how the hell can you figure out whether the warehouse or armory has been entered illegally? Do you expect the co-leaders to be watching those locations all day?"

Renora: "Of course not. Just like any other government, people are expected to report crime when they see it. So, if you ever see an unlawful person enter either of these areas, please let one of the leaders know. It's not like we have security cameras or anything to keep watch."

Gyo Shin: "But how we will know if anything is stolen? The warehouse is pretty big, you know."

Renora: "Then how about every night, Yemon and Nori will search the entire warehouse to determine if anything was stolen."

Yemon: "I would like to help, but that would take way too long."

Nori: "Yeah. I think we need to take another approach to this."

Renora: "Are you defying your leader? If I give you a command, you have to follow it!"

Yemon: "You just became leader like five minutes ago, and you are already having total control of the situation."

Nori: "But if it's something we don't want to do, can't we just vote to use another method of keeping track of stolen things, if any method at all?"

Renora: "No! There is no other way to keep track of stolen objects! So, you have to follow my instructions, whether you like it or not! You wouldn't want to be punished, would you?"

This government has just been made and Renora is already acting like a control freak. That's ominous.

Akina: "Punished?"

Renora: "Anyone who refuses to listen to my commands or breaks my rules will be thrown into a prison! And by prison, I mean that you will be forcibly locked into my lab for who knows how long!"

Chiyo: "Do we really need to lock people up? That seems pretty extreme."

Renora: "It is a necessary evil. I don't want to have to throw any of you into a prison, but it is necessary to make people follow the rules. I'm sorry, but this is the only way."

Renjiro: "Don't worry, we understand. You're a good person for trying to keep law and order in this school environment. Sometimes things have to be a little extreme to make people follow the rules. It's just like that in any government after all."

Renora: "I just want to help you all, okay? So please Yemon and Nori, follow my commands. This is for everyone's sake."

Nori: "Aww, fine. But only because I trust you Renora,"

Sashi: "How about some of us help with the item check in the warehouse? That will make the process faster."

Renora: "I'm sorry, but no. Only people with a governmental position can help carry out the tasks I assign them."

I don't know about this whole situation. It's hard to tell if Renora actually cares about us or not. She was definitely acting like a control freak earlier, but then tried to manipulate us into thinking it was in our best interests. But maybe I'm just being pessimistic.

Renora: "Oh, and I forgot the second law that you all have to follow. Rule No.2: None of you can go out at night. No excuses. You are all required to stay in your dorms at night."

Chimon: "But murders can only be committed at night, so what's the point of a rule like that?"

Renora: "Even if you can't commit murder, you can still prepare for one. Most notably, you could easily take a weapon from the armory when no one is awake to see it."

Gyo Shin: "I guess that makes sense."

Nori: "Well, I think we've had this discussion for enough time now. Let's just eat already."

Thus, we began eating breakfast. After we finished our meals, we started to head back to our dorm rooms. However, someone called out to me before I left the dining hall doors.

Chimon: "Hey, Sashi. Do you have a second?"

Sashi: "Of course. What do you need?"

Chimon: "I need some advice."

Sashi: "What kind of advice?"

Chimon: "......R-Romantic advice."

Sashi: "Huh? Oh, are you talking about Yemon?"

Chimon: "Yeah. He already knows that I have a crush on him, but does he feel the same way towards me?"

Sashi: "I'm not sure. He might be straight though."

Chimon: "Yeah, that's probably the case. Just like all of the few crushes I had on guys in high school. They all have to be straight."

Sashi: "You know, you can just ask what his sexuality is."

Chimon: "I don't want to. I'm too nervous to ask such a personal question."

Nori: "Oh, Yemon? He's bi."

Chimon: "What the fuck!? Were you eavesdropping?"

Nori: "Um, yeah. You were being pretty loud, not to mention the dining hall isn't exactly the most private of places."

Sashi: "I guess that answers your question Chimon."

Chimon: "Yeah. I guess I will ask him if he wants to start a relationship with me, some time. Just not right now."

Nori: "You know Chimon, you really shouldn't rush relationships. Yemon hardly knows you as a person, especially considering how distant you were towards the other students."

Chimon: "I doubt you are really one to provide advice regarding relationships."

Nori: "I feel like you just insulted me. But seriously. You do not want to make the same mistakes I made, or else you will just end up being heartbroken."

Chimon: "You're probably right. I'm just unfamiliar with all of this. To be honest, I have absolutely no romantic experience. I have never been in a relationship before, nor have I done anything romantic with anyone."

Sashi: "That's honestly really sad. I feel bad for you now."

Chimon: "Maybe that's why I'm rushing things. I'm just so desperate to have the love I never had in my entire life."

Sashi: "I suggest you just give it some time, like Nori said. But it's your decision. We won't force you to do anything."

Chimon: "Yeah. I will try to get to know him a bit first. But considering this situation, that might not be possible."

Suddenly, Chimon started to give a look of genuine sadness. I had never seen Chimon show this kind of emotion before, so it was honestly surprising. The only emotions I had seen him express were anger, indifference, and annoyance.

Sashi: "It's okay Chimon. I'm sure everything will be alright."

Chimon: "That's just wishful thinking, but thanks for trying to make me feel better."

Sashi: "No problem. I've always down to help out a friend."

Chimon: "Well, I'm heading back to my dorm room. Goodbye for now."

Sashi: "Bye."

After me and Chimon finished our discussion, I headed back to my dorm room. Hmmm. What should I do today?

FREE TIME START

I guess I'll continue my discussion with Yemon. Hopefully he will be more willing to talk about his stepfather this time. So, I headed to Yemon's lab once again, where he was examining his race car yet again.

Sashi: "Hey Yemon, want to hang out again?"

Yemon: "That's just what I was thinking! How about I tell you all about the history of car racing? It's certainly a fascinating topic."

Yemon and I discussed the history of car racing.

Yemon and I grew a little closer today.

Sashi: "So Yemon, are you ready to talk about your stepfather now?"

Yemon: "Yeah. My biological father and mother divorced while she was pregnant with me, so I have never even met my real father. Thus, I thought my stepfather as my real father for a long time."

Sashi: "Why did your biological parents divorce? Did your mother ever tell you about it?"

Yemon: "Apparently my father was a huge alcoholic that would often physically and emotionally abuse his wife. He also apparently neglected my older brother at the time, who was barely two years old by the time my mom gave birth to me."

Sashi: "That's awful."

Yemon: "Yeah. In that case, it's probably best that I never met my father. In fact, I don't want to see him at all."

Sashi: "That's understandable."

Yemon: "Anyways, regarding my stepfather, he was a person I both loved and hated. He was a very traditional person, who firmly believed in gender roles, especially regarding men. He believed that all men must be strong, and that a lack of masculinity made weakness. If you weren't masculine in a traditional sense, you weren't a real man."

Sashi; "Well, I'm sure you met his expectations. You are certainly a very masculine person in general."

Yemon: "Yeah, but I think a lot of that had to do with my father's influence. But I'm happy with the way I am, so don't think I was forced to become someone I was not."

Sashi: "I think it's just your natural personality."

Yemon: "You're probably right. Back to the topic at hand, my stepfather was also really strict. He firmly believed that physical discipline is necessary to shape your child's future. So, whenever I misbehaved, he would whip me repeatedly with a belt. In the butt of course."

Sashi: "That's not discipline, that's child abuse!"

Yemon: "Yeah. I think anything that causes physical pain to a child is child abuse. I was not really fond of his parenting style. That's one of the things I hate about him. But deep down, I don't think he was really a bad person. Compared to my real father, he never abused my mother at all. He still cared about his family, he's just very old-fashioned. But the thing I admired most about him, was his profession."

Sashi: "You said he was a military general, correct?"

Yemon: "That's right. Although, he used to be just a regular solider before he was promoted to the position. But the fact that he's willing to risk his life on the battlefield, just to serve his country is really admirable. He told me stories all the time of his fellow soldiers dying right in front of them. Despite all of that, it never got to him. He always pushed forward, continuing to fight."

Sashi: "Your father must be really strong."

Yemon: "Yeah. He was also very heroic and protective. One time, he even jumped in front of one of his friends in order to take a bullet that was heading right at them."

Sashi: "Oh my god! Was he okay?"

Yemon: "Just barely. He was taken to the hospital immediately. For a long time, we didn't think he was going to make it. The doctors even said that any possible surgery they do to remove the bullet would only have a 10% chance of success. But guess what, the surgery worked! And the next day, he went back on the battlefield like nothing has even happened!"

Sashi: "That's incredible."

Yemon: "To be honest, I don't think I really hate him at all. He has his flaws, just like every other human on Earth. Even when he wasn't pushing his beliefs in gender roles on his sons or beating his children with a belt, he served as a generally good father figure. Deep down, I love him just like the rest of my family."

Sashi: "Awww. But why did your mother divorce with him?"

Yemon: "She got sick of the way he treated my older brother. You see, he was like the complete opposite of me. He was shy, introverted, and very emotional. He even thought about becoming a fashion designer in college. But my stepfather had none of that. He didn't consider my brother to be a real man and would often berate him for the way he acted and his personal interests. However, no matter what my stepfather did, my older brother never changed. He is still in college, pursuing his dreams just like he said he would. Although that's probably because he lives with my other stepfather. The stepfather I currently live with is a lot nicer, but he was kind of pushover. He rarely disciplined his children and had nothing but praise for them even when they did things wrong. But I also love him of course."

Sashi: "Do you miss your stepfather Yemon?"

Yemon: "Yeah, but he still comes to visit us every once in a while. Honestly, while his methods of parenting weren't the best, I think he did a great time taking care of me. But his parenting has made me learn a valuable lesson."

Sashi: "What is it?"

Yemon: "There is both good, and bad masculinity. My father was a mixture of both. He would often berate his children for not being manly enough, but he was also very heroic and protective. Because of his masculine nature, he was able to serve his country as a solider without issue. So, here's what I decided to do. I decided to embrace my masculinity, but it was never toxic. I only showed positive aspects of masculinity rather than negative aspects. Doing this, I was able to become the best person I could possibly imagine."

Sashi: "I agree with all of that."

Yemon: "Well, I think I've told you enough of my story, so I'm going to head back to my room now."

Sashi: "Thanks for telling me about your family, it was fascinating."

Yemon: "No problem."

Yemon is a really sweet guy for him to love his father despite his obvious faults. He truly loves his family, which is something I admire about him.

Friendship Fragments 5/6: Yemon

After I finished my conversation with Yemon, I decided to head back to my room. I know I just talked to Yemon, but I have a feeling there is still more about him that he is willing to share. So, I decided to head to his dorm room and ring the doorbell. Instantly, Yemon came out.

Yemon: "Sashi? Did you forget something?"

Sashi: "Can we please talk just a little bit more?"

Yemon: "Oh fine. It's not like I have anything else to do. How about we talk about our hobbies and interests?"

We started discussing our hobbies and interests.

Yemon and I grew a little closer today.

Sashi: "Yemon, why do you always seem to be in a good mood? Aren't you worried about the situation?"

Yemon: "Of course I'm worried. I'm just very tough, so I don't let those emotions get to me."

Sashi: "Really? You don't have an even shred of sadness or fear in your mind?"

Yemon: "If I had shown even a tiny bit of fear or sorrow, I could never lead you all! A leader never lets strong emotions get to him!"

Sashi: "Is that really true? It's normal to feel those kinds of emotions in this sort of environment, you know."

Yemon: "Whether it's normal or not doesn't matter. If I'm going to survive this situation, I need to stay strong! Weak people don't survive!"

Sashi: "So showing your emotions makes you weak? That's like something your stepfather would say."

Yemon: "Don't bring him up! I'm nothing like him!"

Sashi: "Really? Because you're a great and masculine leader, just like him."

Yemon: "That's true, but I'm still not toxic like him! I'm just saying that if I show even a little bit of emotion, it might overcome me, and I won't be able to move on! How can I encourage and lead others if I'm a blubbering mess!?"

Sashi: "I get your point, it's just that's unhealthy to hide your emotions. If you are fearful or sad, just say so."

Yemon: "I'm not scared! Okay, maybe I am a little bit."

Sashi: "See, doesn't that make you feel better?"

Yemon: "By saying I'm scared? Now fear is going to corrupt my mind and I won't be able to lead or even survive!"

Sashi: "Why are you so certain that being afraid will prevent you from surviving? If anything, being fearful makes you more likely to survive, because then you will be more cautious. Fear is completely natural. It's what prevents us from making stupid decisions."

Yemon: "What are you saying, and why are you right!? Dammit! Why didn't any of my family teach me these life lessons! For the longest time, my stepfather has been telling me that fear is unnatural and unmanly! Men never show emotions according to him!"

Sashi: "Your stepfather served in the military. You really think he never had any fear when he is literally putting his life on the line to serve his country?"

Yemon: "No. He probably was scared at points. In that case, why has he been teaching me all these false things!? Dammit, now I'm starting to hate him again!"

Sashi: "I think your stepfather was just ashamed of himself. He couldn't acknowledge the fact that his constant fear has made his job really difficult. So, he tried to deny his feelings and tried to teach you what he believed. Not because he himself didn't show emotions, but because he didn't want to show emotions anymore."

Yemon: "Are you saying my stepfather was actually weak?"

Sashi: "Of course not. To serve in the military in a sign of pure strength in of itself."

Yemon: "Ohhhh. I think I get him now. Thanks, Sashi. You have really made me learn a valuable lesson that my stepfather could never give."

Sashi: "No problem. I'm always happy to help out a friend."

Yemon: "I'm going to be completely honest, I'm actually really worried. Despite my efforts, I have a distinct feeling that we are never going to escape this place. Are we really going to stay here until we all die?"

Sashi: "That's an answer we can never truly figure out. But that doesn't mean we should give up! We have no other choice but to keep pushing forward until we find a way out!"

Yemon: "In that case, I will forever lead everyone towards this exit! I promise you; I will not rest until we all manage to escape together!"

Yemon held out his hand and I firmly gripped it. I don't know if Yemon's promise will end up coming true, but at this point, we have no choice but to believe it. Me and Yemon have truly become friends in every sense of the word. There is nothing that can break our bond.

Friendship Fragments 6/6: Yemon

After Yemon and I finished our discussion, I headed back to my dorm room. However, even though it was not even close to nighttime yet, an announcement came from the monitor.

Monokuma: "Everyone, please head to the gym at once. The headmaster has an important announcement to make there."

An announcement at the gym? This can only mean one thing, and that's Monokuma is planning to provide yet another motive. If so, that's really not good. Despite my reluctance, I headed over to the gym where everyone else was waiting.

Nori: "Now that Sashi has arrived, the announcement should be starting soon."

Akina: "It's probably another motive."

Tetsu: "Please don't be another motive. I don't want anymore of my classmates to die!"

Chimon: "But why else would Monokuma bring us here? As much as we would like to think it won't be a motive, the truth is inevitable."

Monokuma: "That's correct Chimon. I have come here to announce another motive!"

Tetsu: "......Why? Why must this always happen to us!?"

Chiyo: "I'm very close to snapping again. Please don't let another murder happen because of this murder."

Monokuma: "Well whether a murder happens or not is all on you guys. Anyways, I just updated your monopods. Look under the motive section. You may see something most surprising there."

I nervously brought out my monopod and selected the motive section of my monopod. Under there were these exact words. "Emnei used to eat his boogers when he was little." What? Why is personal information about Emnei listed here? How did the mastermind even know about this? How is this supposed to be a motive? What was also notable is that there was a button labeled "Swap" near the bottom. What does this button do? I tried pressing the button, but nothing seemed to happen."

Renjiro: "Huh?"

Doryo: "What the actual fuck!?"

Gyo Shin: "Is this really true!?"

Akina: "How could you do this!?"

Monokuma: "Surprising huh? Listen, under your monopods are the deepest and darkest secrets each and every one of you has. But here's the catch. All of these secrets are swapped with someone else's! So, someone already knows what your deepest and most embarrassing memory of the past is! Ahahahaha!"

Chimon: "-!!!"

Renjiro: "No! I don't want anyone to know about this!"

Yemon: "My secret better not be what I think it is!"

Monokuma: "However, there is a way for you to return your swapped secret back to you. Have your monopod's sensor face another student's monopod, and then both of you press swap. Suddenly, your secrets will be swapped!"

Emnei: "How is this a motive for murder exactly? Like it sucks that a classmate of ours knows our worst secret, but how is that going to make us kill each other?"

Monokuma: "Puhuhuhu. I'm glad you asked Emnei. The thing is that if no one kills anyone within 48 hours, I will expose your secret to all of your friends and family!"

Renjiro: "What! What the fuck!?

Chiyo: "This is all a nightmare! This is all just a terrible nightmare!"

Sashi: "There's no way anyone's secret is bad enough to make us kill each other!"

Monokuma: "How do you know that? It's a motive for a reason you know. If this wasn't going to make anyone kill each other, I wouldn't have come up with it anyways. Anyways, I've already told you all about the motive, so I'm leaving now. I'll see you when the next victim appears. Bye!"

Monokuma then left the scene, leaving us by ourselves.

Akina: "This is bad! This is really, really bad!"

Yemon: "Um, how about this? How about we reveal everyone's secrets right now so we no longer have any reason to murder!?"

Chimon: "But our secrets will still be revealed to our friends and family, remember? In that case, what's the point in revealing our secrets to each other? Besides, I'm not letting anyone know mine!"

Renjiro: "Me neither!"

Yemon: "Never mind then."

Emnei: "Sashi. Guess what. I have your secret."

Sashi: "That's funny, because I have yours too."

Emnei: "Really? You think that's just a coincidence or did the mastermind do that on purpose?"

Sashi: "Who knows? It's entirely possible that every pair of students has each other's secrets, if that makes sense."

Emnei: "I'm not bothered by your secret, but I promise I won't tell anyone else."

Sashi: "I don't care about your secret either, but I also won't tell anyone about it."

Emnei: "Then let's swap our secrets."

Me and Emnei swapped our secrets. Now under the motive section, the words read "Sashi accidentally misread her lines in one of her movies, yet it still went to theaters." My secret is not even remotely dark or embarrassing, but that's what you get for having such a boring life.

Nori: "Well, should we head back to our dorm rooms. It's getting pretty close to nighttime."

Renora: "Yeah. I'm going to head out right now. Goodnight everyone."

Everyone else began heading to their dorm rooms, except for Chiyo and Gyo Shin. Chiyo looked like she was about to cry again.

Chiyo: "I'm really scared. I hid from everyone else specifically because I didn't want any of my friends to die. If this results in yet another victim, I don't know what I'm going to do."

Gyo Shin: "Don't worry, Chiyo. Everything will be all right. As long as I'm by your side, we can get through this killing school semester together."

Chiyo: "You're right, Gyo Shin. You're my only hope in this horrible situation. I love you. As a friend I mean!"

Gyo Shin: "I love you too. You're like a daughter to me. My own little child."

Chiyo: "Hey! What did I tell you about treating me like a little kid! I'm a freaking high school student, not a small child!"

Gyo Shin: "I can't help it. You're just so cute!"

Chiyo: "Really? Thank you."

Chiyo and Gyo Shin then left the gym together, holding hands. Is this really just a friendship? Chiyo says she's straight, but she could be lying or unsure at this point. But maybe I'm thinking too deeply about this. Not long after, I left the gym and came back to my dorm room. Not too long after, the nighttime announcement came.

Monokuma: "Attention, everyone. It is now 10:00 P.M. As such, it is officially nighttime. Remember that you cannot go to the gym nor the dining hall at night. Murders also cannot be committed during this time, so please wait until the next morning to start killing. Now then, goodnight everyone."

I guess the day is over now. Since I can't go out at nighttime anymore, I have no choice but to go to sleep.

...

Monokuma: "Good morning everyone. If you heard this announcement, that means that it is 7:00 A.M and nighttime is officially over. The dining hall and gym will now be open, and you're free to kill as much as you want. Get ready for another beautiful day in your killing school semester."

Why must these nights always be so short? I guess I'll just see what everyone is up to in the public chatroom like usual. Oh shit! I totally forgot! I should also message the other students about Renora's true nature, so they realize how dangerous her becoming our leader could be. But first, I'll just check in on the public chatroom.

Emnei: Gm everyone

Renora: Gm

Raging Lesbian: Did Yemon and Nori do an item check last night like they said they were going to do?

Nori: Yeah. It took like two hours though. There was a lot of stuff in the warehouse

Chiyo: Did anything get stolen?

Nori: No

Raging Lesbian: That's good

Yemon: Listen everyone. You all need to stay in the dining hall today, so don't leave early. I'll explain what's up once everyone gets there

Gyo Shin: ok

What is this about? I guess I'll find out once I head to the dining hall. But for now, I need to message someone. I guess I'll message Chiyo.

Sashi: Listen Chiyo, there's something you need to know about Renora. She's not as a good of a person as she seems. I once saw her scream at Tetsu and burn her notebook down! That's why Tetsu has been so talkative lately. Ask Tetsu about it. She will confirm it.

Chiyo: Wait, really!?

Sashi: It's true

Chiyo: I can't believe it. In this case, I better confront Renora about this right away, because that's definitely not okay

Sashi: Wait Chiyo! You shouldn't confront her directly. That's a bad idea!

Chiyo: I'll be fine, I promise

It seemed like my words were in vain. Oh no! What's going to happen now that Chiyo is going to confront Renora!? I hope she doesn't try to punish me, because it's pretty obvious that I'm the one who told Chiyo about it. But I shouldn't worry about that for now. I should head to the dining hall now. As soon as I entered the dining hall doors, Yemon instantly started his talk.

Yemon: "Looks like everyone is here now. Alright, here's the deal. Everyone, hand me your monopods!"

Gyo Shin: "Wait, why?"

Chimon: "That's my monopod, not yours! Why should I give you it!?"

Yemon: "This is a command from your co-leader. If you do not follow it, you will be punished accordingly."

Sashi: "Yemon, are you okay? This doesn't seem like something you would do."

Yemon: "I am perfectly fine. This is for your own good, so please follow it.

Chiyo: "I don't want to give you my monopod, but I guess I have no choice."

Despite our hesitations, we all handed Yemon our monopods, as we didn't want to be punished. Yemon then tapped all of the monopods and after giving a brief look at all of them, he returned them to us.

Renjiro: "Hold on! What did you just look at!?"

Yemon: "I have no viability to inform you of such things."

Akina: "Is this really a dictatorship after all!?"

Yemon: "Let's stop talking about this. My job is finished, so let's eat!"

Why is Yemon acting so strangely? This really concerns me. But I don't think he would ever give me a straight answer for his behavior.

Chiyo: "Speaking of breakfast, I brought donuts!"

Chiyo brought out a box of what looked to be powdered donuts. Instantly, we all rushed in to grab one.

Nori: "Oh my god! I fucking love donuts!"

Renjiro: "Pfffffffft!"

Instantly, Renjiro started spitted out all the powder. He then ran to the kitchen with his glass of water, gargled it, and spat it out in the sink.

Chiyo: "Hahahahaha!!!"

Gyo Shin: "Did you see the look on his face, Chiyo!?"

Chiyo: "I did, and it was great!"

Akina: "What the fuck is his problem!? My donut tastes delicious."

Renjiro: "What the fuck did you put on this donut!?"

Chiyo: "Not much. Only......baby powder!"

Renjiro: "You could have killed me!"

Gyo Shin: "Well you spit it out so it's all fine."

Emnei: "Did you two come up with this prank together?"

Chiyo: "Gyo Shin came up with the idea and I was the one who put the baby powder on one of the donuts."

Nori: "Are you two like the Prankster Duo or something?"

Gyo Shin: "I like the sound of that! What do you think Chiyo?"

Chiyo: "Yes! We are now officially the Prankster Duo, meant to spread mischief and mayhem all around the school!"

Tetsu: "I noticed that you have been a lot more cheerful lately, Gyo Shin? Is this because of Chiyo's influence."

Gyo Shin; "Yeah. I'm no longer feeling depressed anymore. I think what I really needed was a friend. Chiyo has really made this whole situation a lot better."

Chiyo: "Awwww. But you also made the situation a lot better for me too. If you weren't here, I wouldn't know what to do."

Emnei: "Can we eat some real breakfast now? I'm kind of hungry."

As such, we all began eating breakfast. After we finished our meals, I decided to head back to my dorm room. Huh? Am I just imagining it, or am I hearing footsteps? It sounds like someone is just behind me. But just before I could turn my head to see what's behind me, I suddenly felt something hit me hard on the head.

*THUMP*

....

Huh? I suddenly woke up, only to find myself in...... Renora's lab? How did I get here? All I remember is footsteps behind me and then a sudden hit on my head. Did someone knock me out and carry me here? But what was most notable is that I saw Tetsu sitting on the bleachers. What was she doing here?

Tetsu: "Oh, thank god you woke up, Sashi. I thought you might never wake up."

Sashu: "Tetsu? What are you doing here?"

Tetsu: "Apparently Renora knocked me out and then locked me up in here for 'breaking the law'."

Sashi: "Really? What on earth did you do?"

Tetsu: "Apparently I broke the nighttime rule even though I was literally just heading back to my room. It was only a few minutes after 10:00 at most. I was just reading books in the library, and I got so distracted that I forgot what time it was before I suddenly heard the nighttime announcement. So, I tried to run back to my dorm room, but Renora found me and knocked me out. When I woke up here, she gave me a lecture about following the laws and what not. I tried to explain the situation, but she wasn't having any of it. She said I should have come to my room before the nighttime announcement went on.

Sashi: "That's awful. You didn't even do anything wrong. You just forgot what time it was. A simple mistake. Also knocking you on the head is overkill and way too cruel. You could get seriously hurt."

Tetsu: "Yeah. Not to mention, I've been here since last night and I'm starving. The only food she gave me was a half-eaten granola bar."

Sashi: "How long does she plan to keep you trapped here?"

Tetsu: "I have no idea. She didn't even give a straight answer. Renora said I will be held here until she feels I can be let back into society without me breaking the rules again or being a threat to the other students' safety."

Sashi: "How are you a threat? It's just an excuse for Renora to be a control freak."

Tetsu: "Yeah. By the way, why were you brought here?"

Sashi: "Probably for telling others about Renora burning your notebook."

Tetsu: "But it's her fault for even doing that in the first place! What right does she have to punish me for reporting your own misdoings!"

Sashi: "I know right! God, she's such a bitch!"

Suddenly, Renora rushed into the room. Instantly, our mouths closed.

Renora: "The fuck did you say to me, Sashi!?"

Sashi: "Nothing."

Renora: "Liar!"

Sashi: "I'm telling the truth, I swear."

Renora: "Oh really. Because that's not what I fucking heard! Say it again! Say it straight to my face! Tell me what you just said! Or do you plan on staying trapped here for even longer!?"

Jesus, Renora can be really scary when she wants to be. She's like a drill sergeant or a prison warden. I feel like crying right now.

Sashi: "I-I called you a......"

Renora: "A what!?"''

Sashi: "B-Bitch. I called you a bitch."

Renora: "Oh, okay. That's what I thought......WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU THINKING!!!"

Sashi: "I-I don't k-know."

Renora: "Do you think what you did was okay!? Is it okay for you to call me a bitch!?"

Sashi: "No m'am."

Renoraa: "Then don't do it again or else your prison sentence will be extended even more! Also, in case you were wondering why I locked you up in here, it's because you were being a snitch. Why are you telling others about the things I did? It's my business, not yours!"

Sashi: "I'm sorry, okay. I won't do it again."

Renora: "Saying sorry won't cut it. If you really want to atone for your sins, you have to stay in here until I feel like releasing you. Now goodbye."

Renora stomped out of the research lab and ran out the door.

Sashi: "Thank god it's over. That was really scary."

Tetsu: "Yeah, no kidding. I had to go through a similar interrogation last night. She screamed me so hard that I literally started bawling. But she didn't even care. She just kept digging into me as I cried."

Sashi: "How can anybody be so cruel?"

Tetsu: "I don't know."

Sashi: "Also, can't we just walk out the door?"

Tetsu: "Don't even bother. Renora must have barricaded the door from the outside, because it won't even budge an inch."

Sashi: "That's too bad."

Me and Tetsu wandered around inside Renora's lab, having small talk with each other for what felt like forever. Until somebody came through the door, except it wasn't Renora. It was, Nori."

Sashi: "Nori? What are you doing here?"

Nori: "I'm here to let you guys out. Come on, follow me outside."

We walked with Nori outside the lab. Then she started walking towards the dorms.

Nori: "Follow me to the dorms. Try to look out for Renora. If you see her, hide. Also try not to make much noise."

We quietly followed Nori to the dorms, looking out for Renora as we walked over there. Finally, without issue, we managed to reach our destinations.

Nori: "Go hide in your dorms now. You wouldn't want Renora to see you out of her lab. I'll handle the situation with her right now."

Just like Nori suggested, I hastily walked over to my room and headed inside. But inside was a sight waiting for me that I wasn't expecting. Taped all over my room were pictures of.... Gyo Shin? And in all those photos, she was making all kinds of different poses and facial expressions. But what was most notable of all is that right inside my bathroom, right across from my shower/bathtub, there was a picture of Gyo Shin flipping me off. It's like she was saying "I can see you naked, what the fuck are you going to about it?" Is this one of her pranks? But my thoughts were drowned out by the sound of my doorbell ringing. Right outside was Gyo Shin.

Gyo Shin: "Hey Sashi. I was wondering if we could....... what the fuck!? Why are there pictures of me all over your room! Are you a stalker or something!?"

Sashi: "No! I didn't even put the photos there! It's obvious you put them there in order to mess with me."

Gyo Shin: "Huh? I don't know what you're talking about."

Chiyo: "Bwahahha!"

I suddenly started hearing Chiyo cracking up. I took a look outside, only to find that she was watching our conversation from the distance.

Sashi: "You two are in this together, aren't you?"

Gyo Shin: "Awwwww, fine. You got us. It's boring anyways when the victim has already realized it's a prank."

Sashi: "Let me guess. You came up with the idea and Chiyo helped set it up."

Chiyo: "That's correct! I was the one who posted the photos all over your walls!"

Sashi: "Wait a second. How the hell did you even get into my room in the first place? You need my monopod, remember?"

Gyo Shin: "That was no problem. After all, you were sleeping pretty hard in Renora's lab. I just reached into your pocket while you were out cold and took the monopod! Then after Chiyo did all of her work, I just slipped it back in!

Sashi: "Tetsu was in there too. Did she not see you?"

Chiyo: "I guess she must have stayed up late last night, because she was sleeping like a baby."

Sashi: "Okay, I've been pranked. But that was a pretty good one. Especially with the picture of you giving me the middle finger in my bathroom."

Gyo Shin: "We are the Prankster Duo after all."

Sashi: "Well you two have fun with your own little pranks. I'm going to stay in my room for now."

I shut the door and then began peeling off all the photos of Gyo Shin. I then threw them all into the trash bin. Except for the one in my bathroom, that one is pretty great. After doing all that, I started to get bored. What should I do to get rid of this boredom?

FREE TIME START

I know I'm supposed to be staying in my room, but I should be fine as long as I just watch out for Renora. Who should I talk to today? How about Akina? I originally hated her guts, but now that she apologized for her misogyny and changed her ways, I'm really starting to see her kinder side. She's probably in her lab, so I decided to head over there. Sure enough, Akina was inside, kicking her soccer ball up in the air.

Sashi: "Hey Akina. Do you want to hang out?"

Akina: "W-What? Ummm, sure. I'm down."

What was with that reaction?

Sashi: "What do you want to do?"

Akina: "How about we play a soccer game together? I'll go easy on you, so don't worry."

Me and Akina played a soccer game together.

Akina and I grew a little closer today.

Sashi: "Right of the bat, I'm just really grateful for apologizing for sexist behavior and trying to change your ways. Thank you."

Akina: "You're welcome. Honestly, I didn't apology just because Nori screamed at me to. This was a part of my genuine feelings. I really am sorry for the way I treated you and the other girls."

Sashi: "It's fine. Since you apologized and you don't seem to be planning on doing in the future, I don't see the issue."

Akina: "I definitely won't do it again in the future! You can count on that!"

Sashi: "Then it's all good."

Akina: "Really? Do you actually secretly hate me for the way I acted and are only saying this to make me feel better?"

Sashi: "No. I would never lie to you."

Akina: "Well, I don't see you as a liar, so I believe in you. You really are a great person. Even when a person acts like an asshole, you still have in your heart to forgive them."

Sashi: "Akina. It's not so much that I'm forgiving you as you are forgiving yourself. You apologized because you felt genuine remorse for the way you acted. I'm only confirming your real thoughts."

Akina: "Still. I thank you for being so forgiving. If there's anything I can do to repay the favor, just ask."

Sashi: "No. You don't have to do anything. Your apology was enough my itself."

Akina: "God! Why are you so fucking stubbern!? I want to repay the favor! I did something wrong, so I need to atone for it in some way!"

Sashi: "Akina, are you a tsundere?"

Akina: "Fuck no! When you say things like that, it makes me both love and hate you!"

Sashi: "I'll take that as a yes."

Akina: "Grrrrrrrr! You make me so angry! Now, I just want to punch something!"

Sashi: "Calm down Akina! I don't want you to take your anger out on anyone!"

Akina: "What the hell are you talking about!? I am CALM!"

How is that even remotely calm?

Sashi: "Listen, let's just stop arguing about this. I'm sorry Akina."

Akina: "Why are you apologizing now!? You did nothing wrong!"

Sashi: "Then why are you so upset?"

Akina: "I don't fucking know! I have anger issues, alright!"

Sashi: "Just calm down Akina. Take deep breaths."

Akina: *HUFF* *HUFF* *Huff* *huff* *huff*

Sashi: "See, doesn't that make you feel better?"

Akina: "Yeah, it actually does."

Sashi: "Anyways, what do you want to talk about?"

Akina: "Sashi, I have a question. Did you used to hate me?"

Sashi: "Yeah, but that was in the past."

Akina: "That's understandable. But in that case, how do you feel about me now?"

Sashi: "I don't know how to answer that."

Akina: "Do you like me? I mean, you don't have to like me if it's not your true feelings. Just be honest with me."

Sashi: "Yes. I do like you."

Akina: "Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Sashi: "Akina, are you okay?"

Akina: "Perfectly fine!"

That's definitely a lie.

Sashi: "Akina, I really don't like dragging out this topic for too long, but I have just one question. If you felt bad for the way you treated the other girls and you don't actually hate females, then why did you start acting that way in the first place."

Akina: "..........................."

Sashi: "Not going to talk, huh? Fine then. I'll try to guess. Maybe it's because your insecure about your own femininity or lack-there-of?"

Akina: "AAAAHHHHHHHH!!!"

Sashi: "Was I right?"

Akina: "Shut up! Just shut the fuck up! I'm never talking to you ever again!"

Akina then ran away from the scene, looking both angry and slightly embarrassed. Does she hate me now? Also, I felt like my answer was correct, but at the same time, I'm not so sure. I feel like she has to confirm her reasons herself. That's if she's still willing to talk to me after what happened.

Friendship Fragments 2/6: Akina

As Akina had ran away, there was nothing I could do except head back to my room. However, there still seems to be some time left in the day.

FREE TIME START

If Akina is still not mad at me, I'll continue to hang out with her. Since she ran away from her lab, I assume she went to her room? So, I decided to ring her doorbell, and sure enough, she came out.

Akina: "Oh, hello Sashi. Did you need something?"

That was a sudden change in mood.

Sashi: "Can we talk some more if you're okay with that? You kind of just ran away before we could finish our conversation."

Akina: "Of course. But I'm still feeling a bit angry! Can you help me calm down!?"

Or maybe not? God, she's like an emotional rollercoaster.

Sashi: "Yes. Anything to stop you from being angry at me."

I tried my best to calm down Akina as she tried to restraint herself from lashing out again.

Akina and I grew a little closer today.

Sashi: "Akina, have you calmed down now?"

Akina: "Yeah, I think so. I'm sorry for acting out like that. Like I said, I have a pretty short fuse. I'm basically an emotional train-wreck."

Sashi: "But why did you freak out in the first place? Was it because my guess was correct?"

Akina: "...... Can we please stop talking about this subject? I really don't want to discuss it anymore."

Sashi: "Of course. In that case, let's talk about something else. Actually, I have a question for you Akina."

Akina: "Which is...?"

Sashi: "When did you first realize you were attracted to girls?"

Akina: "I guess 4th grade. There was this one really popular girl that I had a huge crush on. At the time, I didn't know what I was feeling. I didn't realize being gay was a thing, so I thought I just really wanted to be friends with them. But then I heard other students saying that this popular girl was actually a lesbian. Never knowing what that term meant, I asked what the hell they were talking about. Once I got the definition, I literally said out loud to the other students, "Maybe I'm a lesbian then?" Of course, my class made fun of me horrendously for it. Elementary school is a time where kids are unfamiliar with sexuality, and as such see it as weird or abnormal. When all you see in media and real life are heterosexual couples, the idea of LGBT people may come across as strange to them. It's not really into middle school where people started to understand and accept homosexuality. That's typically when a lot of students start to realize their sexuality anyways."

Sashi: "That's pretty lucky that your crush turned out to be a lesbian. Did you ever tell them about your feelings?"

Akina: "No unfortunately. It was at a time when I was really confused and didn't really accept myself for who I was. Because of the teasing I got from my classmates, I thought there was something weird about me. Not to mention, I never saw them again after I graduated to middle school."

Sashi: "Did you ever tell your parents about it?"

Akina: "Yeah. Around the beginning of 6th grade, I got tired of all the feelings I felt towards other girls, so I decided to talk to my parents about it. That's where I got a huge lecture about sexuality and how it was perfectly normal the way I felt. They were very accepting for the way I was."

Sashi: "That's good that your parents were so accepting."

Akina: "Yeah. I still can't believe there are homophobic parents out there that will literally disown their children because of something they were born with."

Sashi: "Yeah. Also, was it always just girls? Or did you have crushes on guys in the past? You just don't feel that way now?"

Akina: "I wouldn't say I never crushed on a guy before, but it was generally very rare and the few male crushes I did have happened a long time ago, so I just identify as a lesbian now."

Sashi: "I notice that you are very open about your sexuality now. I was really shocked when you came out to me out of the blue as soon as we met."

Akina: "Yeah. I don't like hiding it for everyone, so I tell it to everyone I meet so they never think otherwise."

Sashi: "Do people ever react negatively to it?"

Akina: "A few times, yeah. But if they ever do that, I just punch them right in the fucking face!"

Sashi: "Whoa, whoa. That's way too far."

Akina: "Why? They were being a homophobic douchebag, so they deserved to be punched! If you hate people because of something you are born with, you are a horrible person!"

Sashi: "You know some people are raised that way because of what their parents say about LGBT people. You shouldn't automatically resort to violence when you don't even know the person."

Akina: "Well, that's their goddamn fault for listening to their parents in the first place! They should have realized that discriminating against people for something they were born with is completely wrong! If you have the nerve to insult me because of my sexuality right in front of my face, then you deserve to receive a beating!"

Sashi: "Violence solves nothing!"

Akina: "Whatever you say."

Sashi: "It's getting pretty late, so I'm going to head back to my room now. Goodnight Akina."

Akina: "Goodnight."

Akina is an interesting person. She clearly has anger problems and apparently results to violence when people upset her, but she also has a much softer side that she doesn't show often. I feel like the more I talk with her, the more I see that secret side of her.

Friendship Fragments 3/6: Akina

After I gave my farewells to Akina, I started to head back to my dorm room. But by the time I arrived at the dorms, I saw Yemon yelling at Chimon. Are they fighting?

Yemon: "I can't believe this! Why are you like this!?"

Chimon: "I don't know! There must be something seriously wrong with me!"

Yemon: "No shit! For you to do something so awful, there definitely is something wrong with you! I can't believe I ever trusted you! You know what, we are never speaking again! I fucking hate you!"

Chimon: "Fine then! I fucking hate you as well! Now get the fuck away from me! I don't want to see your face ever again!"

Chimon and Yemon then ran inside their dorm rooms and slammed the door. What the fuck happened here!? What did Chimon do, and why is Yemon so upset? I'd ask about it, but I doubt any of them want to speak to me right now. Well, it looks like they are sworn enemies now, so much for that proposal Chimon was going to make to Yemon. I then headed back to my room. After I rested on my bed for a bit, the nighttime announcement soon came.

Monokuma: "Attention, everyone. It is now 10:00 P.M. As such, it is officially nighttime. Remember that you cannot go to the gym nor the dining hall at night. Murders also cannot be committed during this time, so please wait until the next morning to start killing. Now then, goodnight everyone."

Another night has come about. It's been over 24 hours since Monokuma has first introduced that motive, and nobody has died yet. But all that does is make me even more worried for tomorrow, because a victim is very likely to show up by then. Is there really any point to having any hope anymore? We claimed that nobody would listen to any of the previous motives, but somebody ended murdering another because of it. Will it be the same now? I guess the only thing I can do is pray for the best and find out tomorrow. As I prayed repeatedly in my mind over and over again, I slowly began to fall asleep.

....

Monokuma: "Good morning everyone. If you heard this announcement, that means that it is 7:00 A.M and nighttime is officially over. The dining hall and gym will now be open, and you're free to kill as much as you want. Get ready for another beautiful day in your killing school semester."

A new day has arisen. I guess I'll just check my monopod before heading out. Huh? I've got three private messages. What could these be?

Renjiro: Murderer

Nori: I can't believe I was ever friends with a person like you. Fuck you

Yemon: Kindly do me a favor and never talk to me ever again

Huh? Why is everyone so mad at me? I didn't do anything. And I'm not a murderer! Where are these accusations coming from? In an attempt to get answers, I went into the public chatroom.

Chiyo: I really hope Sashi doesn't show up

Nori: I feel so betrayed rn

Gyo Shin: Of course, the nicest people always have to turn out to be horrible human beings in secret

Sashi: Can someone pls explain to me wtf you people are talking about? What are these messages about?

Chimon: Renora said she caught u grabbing weapons from the armory. Apparently, that's why she imprisoned u

What? Are you fucking serious!? Did Renora lie to the others for the reason I was imprisoned so she wouldn't seem like a control freak who gives cruel punishments for no reason? Or was it because she was worried about me telling the others about her true nature, so she made me look like I was trying to kill someone so nobody would believe me?

Nori: I'm such an idiot for letting u go without even knowing why u were imprisoned. I just figured you broke the nighttime rule or something. Silly me for thinking Renora's punishments were too harsh

Sashi: I never did that! Renora must have lied! She only imprisoned me because I told Chiyo about how much of a bitch she really is!

Chiyo: Considering your true nature, I doubt that accusation of Renora was even true

Renora: Either shut ur mouth Sashi or gtfo

Yemon: If there was an option to ban people, I would have done it to Sashi immediately

Sashi: Tell me at least you are on my side Emnei?

Emnei: I don't know what to believe at this point. But if everyone is saying the same thing, then it's probably correct. I'm disappointed in u Sashi. Please leave

Suddenly, my monopod vibrated. Did I get another private message? What kind of insult is it this time? Apparently, it came from Tetsu.

Tetsu: Listen, I'm really sorry that this happened to u. Apparently, Renora also told everyone that I stole weapons as well. So, a very similar experience happened to me. Everyone started attacking me, refusing to listen to what I have to say. Renora is a very dangerous person. She lies to people about others in order to make herself look better. We have to stop her somehow

Sashi: I agree. I swear, the more I get to know Renora as a person, the more I start to hate her

Tetsu: I'm scared to go to the dining hall now

Sashi: Me too, but we're required to, so we should do whether we like it or not

Tetsu: I'm not coming. Go by yourself if u want

Sashi: Whatever. It's your choice.

Despite my nervousness, I slowly walked over to the dining hall. As soon as I entered, everyone just stared at me. However, a few people were missing. Just like I expected, Tetsu was missing. However, Renjiro, Doryo, and Yemon were all missing too. It's unusual for those people to be gone. Where are they? I nervously took an empty seat and waited until the food arrived. However, Nori only gave me half the amount of food as everyone else. I decided not to complain and ate from it anyways. But as soon as I took a single bite, I started to feel dizzy. Suddenly, I lost consciousness.

....

I woke up, only to find myself back in the dining hall. I looked around, and everyone seemed to have the same confused look as me. But for some reason, Chimon and Chiyo were missing!

Emnei: "What just happened?"

Gyo Shin: "I think my food was drugged, because as soon as I ate it, I fell asleep."

Akina: "Really? The same happened to me too!"

Renora: "Hold up. Aren't we missing someone?"

Nori: "Not just someone. Two people are gone. Both Chimon and Chiyo are gone!"

Emnei: "No, no, no! This can't mean what I think it means!

Renora: "Everyone! We must search for them! But please split into groups so no tries to tamper with evidence in case something has happened!

Instantly, everyone began rushing out of the dining hall. I was about to run out with them, until Akina called out to me.

Akina: "I'm searching with you, Sashi!"

Sashi: "Okay."

Akina: "I really hope none of the people who didn't show up died, but especially Chiyo! I really liked her! But there's no time to think about that! Let's go! I suggest we go to the physics and biology labs first! I have a feeling someone was murdered there because of the keycards and what not!"

We started dashing towards the physics lab first. Akina took out a keycard from her pocket and opened the lab door. Inside, everything looked the same. However, I heard what sounded like screaming coming from the lab lockers!

Sashi: "Is it just me or is someone inside one of the lab lockers!?"

Akina: "I hear it too! Let's go take a look!"

I rushed over to the lab lockers, and we heard screaming and pounding from not one, but two lockers!

Sashi: "I hear screaming and pounding from two different lockers! Are two people trapped inside!?"

Akina: "I'll try to use my keycard, but it probably won't do a thing because I obviously didn't shove anybody inside this lab lockers."

Akina tried using her keycard in both of the lab lockers, but it was no use.

Akina: "I'll try to find everyone and tell them to come over there! You stay right here!"

I waited for what felt like forever, until finally, everyone came inside. However, Tetsu, Yemon, and Doryo were also there. I guess people found them while they were searching.

Emnei: "There really is screaming from the lockers!"

Gyo Shin: "I'm trying to make out their voices, but it's impossible!

Nori: "Then we just have to open them up to find out for ourselves! Everyone, give me your keycards!"

We all quickly handed our keycards to Nori. She then went up to one of the lockers and started to use them all until finally one clicked. Nori shoved the locker door open, and out came, Renjiro? And he had a huge stab wound in his chest!

Renjiro: "AHHHHHH!!!"

Tetsu: "Renjiro!?"

Gyo Shin: "Is he okay!? He has a big stab wound right in his chest!"

Yemon: "RENJIRO!!!"

Yemon quickly dashed towards him and held his body with his arms.

Yemon: "Are you alive, Renjiro!?! Please don't die on me!!!"

Renjiro: *Cough* *Cough*

Yemon: "Are you alright, Renjiro!?!"

Renjiro: "NO!!! HOW CAN I POSSIBLY BE FINE!!! IT HURTS LIKE HELL!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

Nori: "Does anybody in here have medical experience!?!"

Yemon: "I do! I studied a bit in my free time! I'm going to get him to the infrimatory right away! You all stay here in the meantime!"

Yemon escorted Renjiro out of the physics lab while he tried his best not to collaspe and scream in pain.

Nori: "I'm going to open up this other locker!"

Nori once again started trying the key cards one after another until another one clicked. Nori once again shoved the door open, and out came, Chimon! And his head was bleeding out!

Chimon: "Finally! I thought I was going to stay in there forever!"

Nori: "Are you okay, Chimon!?"

Chimon: "I'm okay in that I don't think the wound is big enough to kill me! But I'm also not okay in the fact that my head is fucking bleeding and it's extremely painful!!!"

Emnei: "Everything is going to be alright, Chimon! Yemon is going to take care of you in the infirmary, so don't worry!"

Nori: "I'll walk you over there! Give me your hand!"

Nori took Chimon's hand and walked him out of the physics lab. It looked like Chimon was about to collapse a few times, but Nori held his body up with her support.

Gyo Shin: "AHHHHHHHH!!!"

Akina: "What's wrong, Gyo Shin!?"

Gyo Shin: "Chiyo! She's the only one who hasn't shown up! Is she dead!!!"

Renora: "She might still be around somewhere! Let's check the biology lab! I don't think anybody has gone in there yet!"

We ran out of the physics lab and headed towards the biology lab. Akina took out her keycard and opened the door with it. But as soon as I looked inside, I saw a most terrifying sight. Inside was Chiyo, with her neck hanging on a noose tied to a hook on the roof. But that wasn't the end of it. There was also a kitchen knife stabbed deeply into her stomach, causing a huge bloody wound. But the most notable thing was that Chiyo's body was covered in huge burnt marks from head to toe. There were so many injuries on I couldn't even tell what killed her.

Ding dong, dong ding.

Monokuma: "A body has been discovered! Now then, after a certain amount of time has passed, the class trial will begin!"

Monokuma: "A body has been discovered! Now then, after a certain amount of time has passed, the class trial will begin!"

Sashi: "Why? Why the fuck does this keep happening!?!"

Emnei: "AHHHHHH!!!"

Akina: "No, no, no. No-no-no-no-no-no-no! NOOOOOO!!!"

Almost everyone started screaming at the body of our former friend. While we all shocked a face of shock, sadness, and even frustration, there was one person who was even more horrified than any of us.

Gyo Shin: "CHIYO!!! This isn't happening. This isn't fucking happening! This is all fake!!! She's not dead!!! IT'S ALL JUST A HALLUCINATION!!!"

Renora: "Calm down, Gyo Shin! She really is dead, but we can get through this. Everything will be alright."

Gyo Shin: "STOP LYING TO ME!!! EVERYTHING WILL NOT BE ALRIGHT!!!"

Gyo Shin started dashing away from the scene and soon escaped before any of us could say a word. Soon after, Nori came back.

Nori: "Good news, I think Chimon is going to be alri-AHHHHHHH!!! CHIYO!!!"

Tetsu: "This is just too awful. I don't know if I can take this anymore."

Monopup: "Hello all my fellow students. Huh? Where's Chimon, Gyo Shin, Yemon, and Renjiro? You guys do realize you're supposed to head to the crime scene as soon as a murder occurs?"

Renora: "Renjiro and Chimon have been attacked by some unknown individual. They're seriously injured, so they're going to be treated by Yemon in the informatory. And well, Gyo Shin, she just ran away."

Monopup: "Oh well. I guess I'll just hand everyone here all the Monokuma files. You can give them their Monokuma files later."

Sashi: "Hold on. What's going to happen with Chimon and especially Yemon? The class trial usually starts only a few hours after the investigation. But there's no way they're going to be well enough to participate in the class trial. Participation is necessary for all students unless or else they will be punished."

Monopup: "Hmmmmm. I'm not sure. I'll have to ask Monokuma about it later."

Monokuma: "Not later. I'll just give you the answer right now. Just let Yemon take care of them the best he can before the investigation ends. And if they're physically uncapable of participating even after that, then we can just start the class trial without them. Don't worry, I'll figure something out."

Akina: "Is Renjiro really going to be fine without Yemon there to treat him?"

Monokuma: "Well since someone tried to murder Renjiro, I have no obligation to help him. If he truly ends up dying, then that just means there's another victim to make the class trial more exciting! Ahahahaha!"

Tetsu: "You are really just the worst."

Monokuma: "Just because Renjiro was lucky enough to survive the murder attempt on him, doesn't mean I'm have to make sure he lives. Yemon has to participate in the class trial whether he likes it or not! Anyways, that's all I came here to say, so I'm out now!"

Is Renjiro really going to be okay? I'm seriously worried for his help, but I just need to trust that Yemon will do his best to heal him before the investigation ends.

Monopup: "Well we have seriously got off-topic here. Anyways, here's the Monokuma Files."

Monopup lazily dumped all the Monokuma Files while we all picked up our own file, except for Nori. She grabbed four extra files. I presume she's going to give them to the others later.

Monopup: "I'm going now. Have fun with your investigations everyone!"

Tetsu: "I don't want to do this! I don't want to investigate anymore!"

Doryo: "Just shut up and do it, you little bitch! My life depends on your investigation skills!"

Sashi: "Shut up Doryo. No one cares what you have to say."

Nori: "How about you shut up, Sashi! Say what you want about Doryo, but at least he didn't attempt to murder anyone, unlike you!"

Sashi: "How many times do I have to say it!? I didn't try to murder anyone! Renora made a false accusation against me! Why doesn't anybody believe me!?"

Renora: "I'm not lying, I swear. Besides, what would I have to gain from lying about a thing like that?"

Sashi: "Maybe it's because you wanted revenge against me for exposing you!"

Renora: "Expose me for what? I didn't do anything!"

Nori: "You're such a hypocrite! You claim Renora made false accusations against you, yet you keep making false accusations against her!"

Sashi: "Doesn't anyone in here believe me!? Besides Tetsu!"

Akina: "I believe you Sashi."

Sashi: "Really? Thank you!"

Renora: "Don't believe her, Akina! She's trying to manipulate you! She's a shameless murderer!"

Akina: "Well, I think you should just shut the fuck up, Renora! God you're such an asshole!"

Nori: "Excuse me!? I'm not going to let you talk to my friend like that, Akina!"

Renora: "Why are people so mean to me? I did nothing wrong!"

Renora then started crying really hard. But it was probably completely fake. Still, Nori bought it.

Nori: "Look at what you did, Akina! You made her cry! God I just want to slap you right now!"

Akina: "You want to fucking fight me, bitch!? I'll fucking pummel you to the ground!"

Emnei: "Stop fighting everyone!"

Akina: "Huh? Do you suddenly have some moral justice in your heart? The person who betrayed your own friend!?"

Emnei: "What are you talking about? I didn't betray anyone!"

Akina: "You and Sashi were so close to each other, yet you refused to believe her when she was accused of something she obviously didn't do! I thought you were way better than this! Why won't you believe her!?"

Emnei: "I don't know. Maybe I'm just a bad human being."

Akina: "Yes you are! And you will continue to be a bad human being until you apologize to Sashi right here and now!"

Emnei: "I'm sorry Sashi. Maybe you really are innocent. No, you're definitely innocent!"

Sashi: "Thank you Emnei. I knew you would come around eventually."

Renora: "Huh? What is this nonsense? I'm telling the truth, I swear!"

Emnei: "Well, I believe you aren't! I believe Sashi, not you!"

Tetsu: "I believe in Sashi too."

Renora: "Shut up Tetsu! You're a murderer too! God, why is everyone against me!? I did nothing wrong!"

Nori: "Don't worry Renora, I got your side!"

Sashi: "Can we please stop fighting over this? We can find out who's lying and who's telling the truth later. Right now, we need to investigate."

Akina: "Sashi's right! We only have so many hours to investigate before the class trial, so we can't afford to waste time arguing! Arguing is meant for the class trial anyways!"

Nori: "I guess you're right. Me and Renora will investigate on our own terms. Plus, I need to give these monopods to those that weren't here. You all do your own investigations."

Nori and Renora left the scene. Soon Doryo walked out of the lab as well. Finally, we were by ourselves. I can now be around the people who actually believed me.

Emnei: "Um, Sashi. I know this doesn't excuse my actions, but I never truly thought you were guilty."

Akina: "Then why the fuck did you say otherwise! You really hurt her feelings!"

Emnei: "I'm really sorry. I was just worried that people might call me out for defending a 'murderer'. I just went along with everyone else. I guess I was influenced by peer pressure."

Akina: "You need to stand up for yourself! God, you make me angry! Don't listen to other people! Say what you personally believe!"

Emnei: "I'm sorry, I really am. I know I promised I would stand up for myself more, but sometimes it's just really difficult."

Sashi: "Don't worry, Emnei. I understand."

Akina: "Anyways. Let's just investigate already! Since we don't have a lot of time to investigate, we should try searching for evidence on our own terms and tell the others what we found later. Or perhaps we can search in teams of two? I know you like to investigate with other people, Sashi. So maybe you would like to investigate with me? It's your choice though! I won't force you to anything you don't want to."

Sashi: "Don't worry Akina. I wanted to investigate with you too, Akina."

Akina: "Really? Thank you so much! In that case, let's get started!"

It's time to investigate. If I've done this two times already, I can do it again! With a new partner in Akina, I'm sure we can find out something!

INVESTIGATION START

Akina: "Let's check the Monokuma File before we do anything else."

I tapped my Monokuma File and it read the following: "The victim's name is Chiyo Gima, the Ultimate Gardener. The victim's body was found in the Biology Lab. The time of death is 11:15 AM. The victim's neck was broken as a result of it being hanged by a rope. They also suffered from a deep stab wound due to a weapon being stabbed into their stomach. Finally, the victim's body was covered in burnt marks, leaving horrible scars."

Sashi: "Huh, that's strange."

Akina: "Yeah. The cause of death isn't listed."

Sashi: "You think Monokuma made a mistake? Because it was listed in the other Monokuma Files."

Monokuma: "That was not a mistake! I left that information out on purpose!"

Akina: "Why would you do such a thing?"

Monokuma: "Isn't it obvious? Because the cause of death is one of the important mysteries of this case."

Sashi: "Mystery? Now that you mention it, when I first looked at the body, it was really hard to tell what killed Chiyo."

Monokuma: "Then that's something you have to figure out on your own. Don't worry, it's perfectly possible to find out what killed Chiyo on your own. If it was impossible, I would have given you the cause of death immediately. I like to keep the class trials fair, you know."

Monokuma then disappeared just as quickly as he appeared. So, the cause of death is a mystery in this case? While that information was left out this time, this Monokuma File is still important enough to keep note of. After all, it still contains key info like the time of death.

MONOKUMA FILE 3 ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Akina: "Now that we got that out of the way, we can investigate for real this time. Let's start with Chiyo's body."

Sashi: "It's kind of hard to examine the body closely when it's hanging up like that."

Akina: "In that case, we just have to cut the rope down."

Sashi: "But we should preserve the crime scene! Besides, do you even have any scissors?"

Akina: "No, but I can go get some. Besides, I need the body to be cut down in order to perform an experiment."

Sashi: "Experiment?"

Akina: "I'll show you it once I get some materials. You stay right here while I go get them."

After Akina left the scene, I waited for her return. Now that I look at the scene closely, there's a stepladder right next to Chiyo's body. I didn't really pay attention to it because I was too distracted by her body, but it leaves me wondering, did the culprit use this ladder to hang up the body? Or did Chiyo hang herself? No, that seems impossible. Because if Chiyo committed suicide, it doesn't explain the rest of the injuries on her body. Unless they were inflicted afterwards? But who would do something like that to her body? All that does is suggest that someone else killed her rather than her killing herself. Considering that we would all get executed if the wrong answer was chosen, that doesn't seem plausible. But all my thoughts were soon interrupted when Akina came back with scissors, and measuring tape?

Akina: "I'm going to cut the rope that's holding Chiyo's neck. Try not to get in the way, because she's going to fall to the floor."

Akina walked up the stepladder, grabbed her pair scissors, and cut the rope. Soon after, Chiyo's body came crashing down to the floor.

Akina: "That's going to leave some bruises. As if Chiyo's body didn't have enough injuries on her already."

Sashi: "I don't want to, but I guess I'll take a closer look at Chiyo's body now."

What I first noticed was the knife sticking right out of her stomach. But it was no ordinary knife. It was a kitchen knife.

Akina: "If Chiyo was stabbed with a kitchen knife, that means that practically anyone could have stabbed her. Normally most weapons are stuck in the armory, which nobody except co-leaders and Renora could have accessed. But a kitchen knife, anybody could access that."

Sashi: "It was pretty negligent of Renora to not consider the kitchen in consideration. There's tons of things in there that could be used as weapons."

This weapon could have been taken by anyone, huh? In that case, who took this weapon? And when? Was it before we were all in the dining hall, or afterwards? Because for a long time, a good chunk of us were asleep due to the drugged food. Did someone take the knife during this time? Or did they already do it beforehand?

KITCHEN KNIFE ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Akina: "I think that's everything regarding the body in question."

Sashi: "What about those burnt marks? Those seem pretty important."

Akina: "True, but those were already covered in the Monokuma File, and there's nothing I can say about them, so you don't need to write anything new down."

Sashi: "Then let's see this 'experiment' of yours that you were talking about."

Akina: "Alright. I'm going to try something real quick."

Akina took out her measuring tape and started measuring the height of the stepladder with it. But considering how tall it was, she could only stretch it about half-way up.

Akina: "Sashi, can you help me with this? Climb up to the top of the ladder and stretch this measuring tape out for me."

Sashi: "Okay."

I was about to climb up the stepladder until I noticed something strange. On one of the rails was a bloodstain. But it was surprisingly high up. It must have splattered all the way up there. But considering Chiyo's position right now, doesn't that seem strange? Maybe I'm overthinking things. I climbed all the way up to the top and stretched Akina's duct tape until it reached the top.

Akina: "It looks like this stepladder is approximately 10 feet tall."

Sashi: "So?"

Akina: "This doesn't mean much by itself, but combined with another experiment I'm going to do, the conclusion is easy to see."

I have no idea what Akina is thinking about, but there's no doubt that this stepladder is important. Not just because of its height, but because of the strange bloodstain I noticed earlier.

STEPLADDER ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Akina: "For my next experiment, I'm going to measure the height of the hook that the rope is tied to compared to the stepladder. But even with the stepladder, it's too high to reach. There's some biology textbooks in this room, can you hand me some?"

I handed Akina some biology textbooks and she climbed up the ladder. Then she placed them on the top step and climbed on top of those too. Then, she placed the measuring tape under the bottom book to weigh it down and stretched it all the way to the hook.

Akina: "The height distance between the hook and the stepladder is around 8 feet. Can you see the connection when you consider this combined with the height of the stepladder?"

Sashi: "Hmmm. Now that I'm thinking about it. Yeah, I think I get it. But first, I want to confirm something. This rope that was used to hang Chiyo's body, where did it come from? Because the only place I can think of is the warehouse."

Akina: "Not necessarily. I also saw ropes in the physics lab. That means anyone could have collected this rope, not just Nori, Yemon, and Renora."

Sashi: "Thanks. That's all I needed to know."

Once again, the same problem arises with this rope as with the kitchen knife. If anyone could have grabbed it, who did it? And when could they have grabbed it? Anyways, this is important information. I should also note down that this was hanged from a hook that was around 8 feet above the stepladder.

ROPE FOR HANGING ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Akina: "I'm done with my experiment now, so we can go back to examining the crime scene."

In that case, where should I look next? What's most notable is the large bloodstain right below Chiyo's hanging body.

Sashi: "This bloodstain must have been created when she was stabbed."

Akina: "Yeah. The stab wound was pretty deep, so it's no surprise that the bloodstain was rather large."

But the most notable thing of all was that there was an explicable footprint right in the middle of all the blood.

Sashi: "A footprint? I wonder whose it is."

Akina: "Who is seriously dumb enough to leave a fucking footprint for anybody to see and trace down?"

Sashi: "Our culprit apparently. But we need to check whose footprints these are."

Akina: "Hmmm. By the looks of it, these footprints were created by sandals. But who even wears sandals?"

Emnei: "Doryo. He's the only person I can think of."

Sashi: "Oh yeah. Now that I'm thinking about it, he's the only one who wears sandals. But how did you even notice such a tiny detail? Do you spend all your time looking at people's feet, Emnei?"

Emnei: "Trust me. I've been stomped and kicked by Doryo so much that I can never forget those sandals."

Akina: "Wait, what!? That's awful! Doryo does that to you!?"

Emnei: "Yeah."

Akina: "What an asshole!"

Emnei: "Yep."

Sashi: "Anyways, so we can pretty much confirm that this footprint belongs to Doryo. But does that mean Doryo is the culprit?"

Akina: "It doesn't directly prove he's the culprit, but it definitely proves that he was in this room. As far as I'm aware of."

Doryo visited the biology lab? But if it's not because he's the culprit, what other reason is there for being here? This is definitely suspicious, but something about it also seems off. While Doryo would probably be stupid enough to leave a footprint, he's definitely not smart enough to hang Chiyo's body, or really anything else the culprit did. But what could it mean?

BLOODY FOOTPRINT ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

What else is there to investigate here? I guess I'll try looking inside the trash bin that's inside the biology lab. When I looked inside, I saw pieces of paper? But they were covered in blood!

Sashi: "Bloody pieces of paper? Why is this in the trash bin?"

Akina: "There's no doubt it's related to the murder, and that the culprit tried to dispose of it by tossing it in the trash bin. But what its significance is, even I'm not sure."

Sashi: "The way the pieces are, it seems like they were cut from a much larger paper."

What does this all mean? Bloody pieces of paper found in the trash bin?

BLOODY PAPER ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Akina: "We seemed to have investigated everything in the biology lab itself, so let's try talking to the others."

Sashi: "Hey Tetsu. Do you know anything about this case?"

Tetsu: "Yes actually."

Akina: "Then tell us what you know."

Tetsu: "I don't know if this really matters, but I witnessed Doryo in the gym today."

Sashi: "Really? When?"

Tetsu: "I believe it was around 12:40 PM. That's 25 minutes after Chiyo was murdered."

Akina: "So it doesn't prove that Doryo is innocent, but it's still important info, nonetheless."

Sashi: "But what were you doing near the gym?"

Tetsu: "I was bored, so I decided to walk around a bit. That's when I witnessed him."

Akina: "So this was before you met up with us."

Tetsu: "Yeah."

So Doryo was in the gym at 12:40 PM. That means Doryo has an alibi for that time period, I guess? While Chiyo was murdered beforehand, it may still prove useful in case the killer had to do something during that time period.

TETSU'S ACCOUNT ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Akina: "Is that everything?"

Tetsu: "Yes unfortunately."

Sashi: "It's fine. That information was very helpful. Thanks Tetsu."

Tetsu: "No problem. I'm not just doing this for our survival. I'm doing this to avenge Chiyo's death. Like how could one of us murder someone so sweet and innocent? This is like Kando all over again."

Akina: "Well, Marika actually had an understandable motive for killing Chiyo, so maybe it's the same case this time?"

Tetsu: "True, but I doubt it. Whatever reason they had for killing, I doubt the killer needed to target Chiyo in particular. I-I'm crying just t-thinking about it."

Akina: "Awww, it's okay Chiyo. Don't worry, we'll find out who killed Chiyo at the class trial. We'll avenge her death. With your help of course."

Tetsu: "T-Thanks for trying to make me feel better."

Sashi: "Anyways, let's try talking to Emnei next. Let's see what he knows about this murder."

Akina: "Emnei? Do you know anything about this case?"

Emnei: "Yeah. My keycard was stolen!"

Sashi: "Really? Why didn't you say so earlier!?"

Emnei: "I just noticed it now! I had it just before I went to the dining hall! Now suddenly, I notice it's gone!"

Akina: "Then somebody took it while you were unconscious?"

Emnei: "I presume so."

Sashi: "Which people even have keycards anyways? I know Emnei, Akina, and Tetsu all have keycards, but who else?"

Emnei: "Nori, Yemon, Renjiro, Chimon, and Chiyo all have keycards."

Akina: "So, Sashi, Gyo Shin, Renora, and Doryo are the only ones who don't have keycards?"

Emnei: "But that doesn't mean they're innocent. They could have taken someone else's keycard and used it instead."

Akina: "I know. Still, it's important info."

Emnei, Akina, Tetsu, Nori, Yemon, Renjiro, Chimon, and Chiyo all have keycards. Gyo Shin, Renora, Doryo, and me do not have keycards. Also, Emnei's keycard was stolen according to him. All information I should write down.

KEYCARDS ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Emnei: "Oh wait! I forgot one other thing!"

Sashi: "What is it?"

Emnei: "I went to my lab early this morning. It was before nighttime even ended. Luckily, no one caught me. I could have been thrown into prison like you. Anyways, I noticed that one of my Robo Justice costumes was gone!"

Sashi: "Robo Justice costumes? I don't remember seeing those in your lab!"

Emnei: "Yeah. I guess Monokuma must have put them in there after the second class trial, because that's when I first noticed them. Anyways, the costumes come in four sixes: X-Large, Large, Medium, and Small. The X-Large costume only fits people that are 6'2 to 6'4 in height. The Large costume only fits people that are 5'11 to 6'1 in height. The Medium costume only fits people that are 5'8 to 5'10 in height. Finally, the Small costume only fits people that are 5'5 to 5'7 in height."

Akina: "Which one was taken?"

Emnei: "The Large costume."

Sashi: "So the person who took it was probably between 5'11 and 6'1 in height. That means the person who took the costume was either Chimon, who is 5'11, Doryo, who is 6'0, or Renora, who is 6'1."

Emnei: "Seems like it."

Akina: "But why would they even need a costume in the first place?"

Emnei: "To hide their identity in the case of accidental witnesses I presume."

If Emnei noticed that the costume was stolen that early in the morning, then the costume was taken even earlier than that. I guess the culprit really didn't want anybody seeing them take the costume, so they did it early where everyone was sleeping. Even if it doesn't seem to directly relate to the case at the moment, this is still valuable information.

ROBO JUSTICE COSTUME ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Sashi: "It seems like we investigated everything there is to see here, and we talked to everyone, so should we leave now?"

Akina: "Actually, let's do one more thing. I forgot one other thing I wanted to investigate. I wanted to check Chiyo's monopod and see what secret was on it."

Sashi: "You think Chiyo had the killer's secret, and that's why they targeted her? So, she wouldn't tell anybody about it, while also stopping the secret from being revealed to the world?"

Akina: "That's exactly what I was thinking."

Sashi: "Then let's take a look."

I went over to Chiyo's corpse and took the monopod out of her pocket. I turned it on and looked under the motive. Huh? Apparently, Nori's secret is on her~....................................... Whelp. Now I'm traumatized.

Akina: "What's wrong Sashi? You look both really embarrassed and disgusted at the same time."

Sashi: "Uh. I'm perfectly fine! Nothing to worry about at all!"

Akina: "Did you find out who's secret Chiyo had?"

Sashi: "Yeah. It was Nori's secret."

Akina: "Can I see?"

Sashi: "No! You do not want to see it!"

Akina: "Considering this is Nori we're talking about, that's probably true. The important thing to note is that Chiyo has Nori's secret."

Sashi: "Yeah."

Akina: "The question is, was it there from the start? Or was it perhaps swapped with someone else's?"

Sashi: "I'll ask everyone before the class trial if they perhaps had Nori's secret. That might clear it up, if no lies that is."

Even if I don't know if this secret actually belonged to Chiyo at the moment, this is still important enough to keep note of.

NORI'S SECRET ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Akina: "I think we're done investigating this area for real this time."

Sashi: "Before we leave though, I just want to ask you something. Your food was drugged, correct?"

Akina: "Yeah."

Sashi: "Before you fell asleep, did you look at anybody else? In that case, I'll ask you these questions: Who ate from the food? Who fell asleep? Basically, tell everyone's behavior regarding the food."

Akina: "I think I was the last person to fall asleep, so I can answer those questions. Basically, Chiyo, you, me, Emnei, Gyo Shin, Chimon, Nori, and Renora all came to the dining hall tonight. All of them were served food. Emnei, Renora, you, and Chiyo all ate the food and instantly fell asleep. Here's where it gets interesting. I saw Nori eat from the food, but she didn't fall asleep. Chimon must have realized the food was drugged when he looked at everyone else, so he just left the food at the table. Gyo Shin, she stayed at her seat, but she never ate from the food. Finally, even though I saw that people ate the food and fell asleep, I decided to eat from it anyways. I wanted to find out whether my food was drugged or not. That was a pretty stupid move on my part, but luckily, I turned out okay. However, Chiyo and Chimon missing once everyone woke up."

Sashi: "What time did we start eating the food?"

Akina: "I think around 8:00 AM is when people ate from the food at fell asleep."

Sashi: "What time did we wake up?"

Akina: "Everyone woke up at around 1:00 AM."

Sashi: "Thanks Akina. I'm surprised you noticed all that though. I figured you just ate from it immediately and just fell asleep."

Akina: "I think there was a gut instinct that a murder might happen because of this, so I decided to examine my surroundings. Take in all the information I could."

Sashi: "Wow. Very perceptive of you. I'm honestly surprised in how smart you are."

Akina: "Why? Is it because I'm really athletic and love sports?"

Sashi: "Pretty much, yeah."

Akina: "Well, I'm also surprised you're so smart as well. I just expected you to be some kind of ditzy celebrity with you being the Ultimate Actress and all."

Sashi: "Hey! That's mean! You shouldn't judge people based on how they look!"

Akina: "........."

Sashi: "I was joking. Still mean though."

Akina: "Whatever."

According to Akina, Nori ate from the food but never fell asleep? Does that mean her food wasn't drugged? If so, that's really suspicious. But what's most important about this is that it gives everyone who actually ate the food and fell asleep alibis.

DRUGGED FOOD ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Sashi: "Actually, there's one more thing I wanted to bring up. This happened yesterday morning, so it might be too early to be relevant, but I thought it was suspicious nonetheless."

Akina: "Oh, you're talking about Yemon looking at all our monopads, correct?"

Sashi: "Yeah. Like he literally forced us to give him our monopads, like there was some undying need for Yemon to look at them."

Why did Yemon take our monopads? What was he looking at? It just raises so many questions that even though it happened way before this murder, it's hard to believe it's not relevant.

YEMON'S SUSPICIOUS BEHAVIOR ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Sashi: "Okay, I think we're finally done in here. Wow, that took a while."

Akina: "Before we go anywhere else, I think we should examine the card record for the biology lab."

Sashi: "That's just what I was thinking."

Me and Akina walked out of the Biology Lab and pressed the glass screen right above the card reader. Just like last time a record popped up. There were three records. The first one listed Chiyo going IN at 12:00 PM. The second one listed Nori going IN at 12:40 PM. Finally, the third one listed Nori going OUT at 12:55 PM.

Akina: "Nori again? I'm seeing so much evidence stacked up against her that this is starting to get ridiculous."

Sashi: "Unless she's pulling off a Naeko, she was probably framed to be the killer."

Akina: "That's what I'm thinking as well. I don't even think she's smart enough to purposely put loads of evidence against herself to make her look innocent. Unless she's faking her stupidity, or smarter than we realize."

Sashi: "It's hard to tell at this point. I guess we just have to find out at the class trial."

Akina: "What's also notable is that it shows Chiyo going in, but not going out."

Sashi: "Does that mean she was attacked once she entered the lab?"

Akina: "I highly doubt it. After all, she should have been asleep in the dining hall at the time."

In that case, what does it all mean? Did Nori actually enter here or did someone else use her keycard. And why does it show Chiyo going in, but not out?

BIOLOGY LAB CARD RECORD ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Akina: "Next, we should check the physics lab because it's right next door, and Chimon and Renjiro were found in the lockers in there."

Sashi: "Speaking of. Do you think the attacks on Chimon and Renjiro are related to the murder of Chiyo?"

Akina: "I'm not sure at the moment. We just have to look at the evidence and their accounts before we can make our conclusions. But even if it ends up being unrelated, we should still find out who attacked them and why."

Sashi: "Yeah. Let's head over now."

Akina and I walked over to the physics lab.

Sashi: "First, we should check the card record."

I clicked on the glass screen right above the card reader, and yet another card record showed up. It listed the following: EMNEI IN: 9:20 AM, RENJIRO IN: 9:25 AM, EMNEI OUT: 9:30 AM, NORI IN: 11:30 AM, YEMON IN: 11:30 AM, CHIMON IN: 11:40 AM, YEMON OUT: 11:59 AM, and NORI OUT: 12:39 AM.

Akina: "Both Chimon and Renjiro entered at far different times. I think the people that entered before and after them must have attacked them in the physics lab once they entered."

Sashi: "Nori pops up yet again. This is getting ridiculous."

Akina: "Less ridiculous is the fact that Yemon entered as well. You think that's real?"

Sashi: "I don't know! I feel like the only records we can trust are the ones that listed Renjiro and Chimon going in."

Akina: "Yeah."

Sashi: "Emnei's name is also on here, but I don't think that means anything. Emnei said his keycard was stolen, which is perfectly possible due to him being asleep the whole time. In fact, how could he have even entered here if he was asleep?"

Akina: "Maybe he faked being asleep?"

Sashi: "I highly doubt it. He's just not the kind of person to kill someone."

Akina: "You never know. Even the nicest of people can kill, you know. Or maybe he's pretending to be nice?"

Sashi: "What the hell are you saying!?"

Akina: "I'm just warning you."

PHYSICS LAB CARD RECORD ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Akina: "Now that we've investigated the card reader, let's inside."

We headed inside the physics lab. The first thing I noticed is that inside the locker Chimon was in, was a bloody hammer.

Sashi: "Was this used to hit Chimon on the head?"

Akina: "I presume so."

Sashi: "I'm going to have to ask Nori later about these lab lockers so we can find out which lockers Chimon and Renjiro were shoved into after being attacked."

Akina: "Or maybe I will have to in case Nori doesn't trust you enough to give you info."

Sashi: "Maybe you will."

BLOODY HAMMER ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Sashi: "I don't see anything else of significance in this room, so I guess I'll check the trash bin."

I looked through the trash bin, only to find two things of significance. First, there was more bloody pieces of paper, except there seemed to be even more then in the other trash bin.

Sashi: "Why is there also bloody paper in this trash bin? This has to be related."

Akina: "It probably came from the same paper as the other trash bin, as the paper here also seems to be cut out."

Sashi: "But why didn't they just dump it all in on trash can? It makes it less likely to find."

Akina: "That's a good question actually."

BLOODY PAPER UPDATED IN TRUTH BULLETS SECTION

Sashi: "There also seems to be duct tape in this trash bin."

Akina: "Duct tape? That's strange."

Sashi: "Yeah. Lots of it in fact."

Akina: "I have no idea at the moment why the killer would need duct tape."

Sashi: "Yeah. Me neither."

Why did the killer need duct tape? And why so much of it? This evidence just reeks of mysteries.

DUCT TAPE ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Sashi: "I guess that's everything in the physics lab."

Akina: "Where should we head next?"

Sashi: "Right now, I really need to talk to Nori."

My prayers were soon answered when Nori and Renora came into the physics lab. It seems they decided to investigate here next.

Sashi: "Nori, can I please ask you a few questions? It's really important for the case. I know you don't trust me right now, but our lives depend on it."

Nori: "Fine. Ask away."

Sashi: "First of all, whose lockers did you open up? Like whose lockers were Chimon and Renjiro found in?"

Nori: "I found Chimon in my locker for some fucking reason, and I found Renjiro in Emnei's locker for whatever fucking reason as well."

More evidence against Nori and Emnei? It just never ends, does it?

LAB LOCKERS ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Akina: "You seem to be in a bad mood Nori."

Nori: "No shit. I'm still mad at your betrayal, Sashi."

Sashi: "Well, let's not argue about that, because I'm not done asking questions. Nori, did you ever leave the kitchen at any point while you were cooking food?"

Nori: "Yeah. I left to take a bathroom break for like five minutes."

Akina: "I saw her leave, so I can confirm this."

If there was a time period where Nori left the kitchen, then someone other then her could have drugged the food! That means there's no proof she's guilty.

NORI'S ACCOUNT ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Akina: "Anything else you can tell us?"

Nori: "I lost my keycard. Someone must have stolen it."

Sashi: "Another stolen keycard? Emnei claims his was stolen as well."

Nori: "Yeah."

If Nori's keycard was really stolen, it explains why so much of the evidence is pinned against her. The killer clearly wanted to frame her for the crime.

KEYCARDS UPDATED IN TRUTH BULLETS SECTIONS

Nori: "Are we done now?"

Sashi: "Yes, Nori. Thanks for all the helpful info."

Nori: "Whatever."

Akina: "Now we're really done with the physics lab. Let's head to the infirmary next."

Sashi: "Really? You might disturb Yemon."

Akina: "But we need info from him anyways. If we are really unwelcomed, he can just say so. Plus, I want to investigate the sleeping drugs that were used in our food. It must have come from there."

Sashi: "If you really say so."

Me and Akina headed over to the infirmary. Inside was Renjiro and Chimon resting on hospital beds. Renjiro's chest seemed to be bandaged up. Similarly, Chimon's head was also bandaged up. Yemon was sitting right next to them.

Akina: "Hey, Yemon. How are Chimon and Renjiro?"

Yemon: "I managed to sew up Renjiro's wounds with some staples I found, so he's no longer bleeding, but he's probably going to have to rest in the hospital bed for a few days. Chimon wasn't that seriously injured at all. He just got knocked out for a bit. He should be well enough to participate in the class trial now. Preferably, he should rest up, but since participation is mandatory, he should go."

Akina: "Well, that's good, because we really need to ask you some questions."

Yemon: "Of course. I'm happy to inform you of any information I know, Akina."

Akina: "Um, I said we."

Yemon: "Ugh. I guess I can't stop Sashi over there from eavesdropping, but I'm only talking to you."

Akina: "Why don't you believe in your friend!? Renora clearly lied about Sashi taking murder weapons."

Yemon: "What would Renora have to gain from lying?"

Sashi: "She wanted revenge against me because I told other people about her burning up Tetsu's notebook."

Yemon: "Did I ask you to comment, murderer? Also, that never happened, so shut the fuck up."

Akina: "What the hell is wrong with you, Yemon!? Did something happen to you!? I thought you were the type of person who would believe in his friends when they are accused with no evidence to back him up!"

Yemon: "Can we just go back to the original topic? I'm tired of talking about this."

Akina: "Fine! Did Chimon and Renjiro inform you what exactly happened when they were attacked?"

Yemon: "You have to talk to Chimon yourself for the details, but Renjiro told me exactly what happened to him. Apparently, he got a message from Emnei telling him to go to the physics lab at 9:25 AM. As soon as Renjiro came in, he saw a person in what looked to be a robot costume. The person immediately stabbed Renjiro with a kitchen knife, and then he lost consciousness."

Akina: "Can I see the message?"

Yemon: "Sure. I have his monopod right here."

Yemon opened up the monopod and clicked on the private message from Emnei. It stated the following: "Hey Renjiro, can you please come to the physics lab at 9:25 AM? I have something very important I need to talk to you about?"

Akina: "I didn't think Renjiro was gullible enough to fall into a trap like this."

Yemon: "He probably trusted it because it came from Emnei. Like when would you ever suspect that Emnei would try to kill you?"

Akina: "Yeah. I guess that makes sense. Wait, do you believe Emnei tried to kill Renjiro?"

Yemon: "No. Someone probably took his monopad and made a private message to Renjiro with it."

Akina: "I was going to say."

Sashi: "Hey, Akina. That robot costume has to be the Robo Justice costume that was stolen from Emnei's lab."

Akina: "Yeah. It's not like there's any other robot costumes lying around."

Sashi: "It's pretty unlucky that the attacker used a costume to hide their identity, because Renjiro survived the attack, so he could easily say who attacked him."

Akina: "Yep."

RENJIRO'S ATTACK ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Akina: "Can we talk to Chimon now?"

Yemon: "Go ahead. He's not even asleep. He's just closing his eyes."

Sashi: "Hey Chimon."

Chimon: "Hey."

Sashi: "Are you feeling okay?"

Chimon: "I wouldn't say I'm feeling okay, but I'm definitely a lot better now."

Akina: "That's good."

Sashi: "Chimon, do you really believe that I took weapons from the armory?"

Chimon: "Not really. Well, I don't really do things such as believe or disbelieve in people. The only thing that matters to me is cold, hard evidence. But since there's no evidence that proves you either took, or didn't take the weapons, I don't have a reason to believe you're innocent or guilty."

Sashi: "But don't you want to believe I'm innocent?"

Chimon: "If you were actually guilty, then that would really suck, so I guess I want to believe you're not guilty, but I'm not exactly a compassionate human being."

Sashi: "Awwwww. Thanks, Chimon. The fact that you said that me being guilty 'would really suck' proves you like me."

Chimon: "I guess so."

Akina: "Anyways, we wanted to know what exactly happened before you were attacked."

Chimon: "Okay. I was taking a walk around the school when I suddenly heard voices coming from the physics lab. Considering it strange because most people were asleep in the dining hall, I decided to head inside. Soon as I walked inside, I saw someone inside."

Sashi: "Who was it?"

Chimon: "If I tell you, will you believe me?"

Akina: "Why wouldn't you?"

Chimon: "I saw Yemon."

Sashi: "What!? What was he doing in the physics lab?"

Chimon; "I don't know, but after I saw him, I got knocked out from behind. I guess someone else was inside and struck me on the head. Whatever they were doing or talking about, they clearly didn't want me to be a part of it."

Sashi: "Did you see Chiyo inside?"

Chimon: "I don't know. I didn't get a real look around before I got knocked out."

Akina: "Thanks for telling us what you know, Chimon. It was very helpful."

Chimon: "I'm just trying to survive here."

Yemon was definitely inside the physics lab according to Chimon. But does that mean Yemon is the culprit? Or was it the person who attacked Chimon? If so, does that mean they were accomplices? In which case, why? What's the point in having accomplices? And why would someone like Yemon cooperate in this? Or was Chimon lying about seeing Yemon? I don't see why he would after literally being attacked, but it all seems weird to me.

CHIMON'S ATTACK ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Akina: "Before we leave, I wanted to check out the sleeping pills in here, because I know this place has them."

We examined the infirmary's medicine cabinet until we came across Monokuma's Special Sleeping Pills? There were three types of containers: Type A, Type B, and Type C. Type A causes a person to fall asleep for five hours, while Type B also causes a person to fall asleep for five hours, but apparently it takes longer to come into effect. Finally, Type C causes a person to fall asleep for three hours. According to the labels, there is 50 pills in each container.

Sashi: "We should count how many pills are in each container to see how many were taken."

I counted all the pills in each container. There was 40 pills for Type A, and 49 pills for Type B and C.

Sashi: "So there were ten Type A pills taken, and one type B and C pill taken each."

Akina: "Interesting."

Why were these types of pills taken? Why this specific amount of them? Obviously 12 pills were taken for the 12 students, but what else can I conclude from this?

ANTIBIOTICS ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Bing bong, bong bing.

Monokuma: "You heard the bell, so you know what time it is! It's time for the long-anticipated class trial! Head over to the park immediately! Puhuhuhuhu. I'll be waiting."

Sashi: "It's time for the class trial."

Yemon: "I guess I'll have to leave Renjiro here. He should be alright waiting here. But Chimon, you have to come."

Chimon: "Yeah. I know."

Chimon lifted himself off his bed. We then all headed to the park together, leaving Renjiro to rest in his bed. It looks like everyone else had already arrived.

Nori: "Everyone's here now. I guess we should just wait until the statue opens up like usual."

Akina: "I have a quick question for everyone. Chiyo's monopod had Nori's secret on it. Did anybody have her secret before this? We're wondering if her secret was perhaps swapped with someone else's. Did Chiyo ever say which secret she had? Do you know anybody who had Nori's secret?"

Emnei: "Chiyo never told us whose secret she had."

Tetsu: "And I don't recall anybody else having Nori's secret."

Renora: "Then Chiyo must have had Nori's secret from the start."

So Chiyo really did have Nori's secret from the beginning? Or is someone lying?

NORI'S SECRET UPDATED IN TRUTH BULLETS SECTION

Nori: "Ummm. Gyo Shin, are you okay? You still look really tense, and I can still see tears in your eyes."

Gyo Shin: "NO!!! I'M NOT OKAY!!! NOT EVEN REMOTELY!!!"

Nori: "Stop freaking out! It's all going to be alright."

Gyo Shin: "SHUT THE FUCK UP!!! NOTHING'S GOING TO BE ALRIGHT!!! MY ONLY FRIEND WAS BRUTALLY MURDERED BY ONE OF US!!!"

Tetsu: "Don't say that! We're all your friends here."

Gyo Shin: "Shut up, murderer!!! You're not my goddamn friend, so stop lying to me!!!"

Chimon: "I think Gyo Shin went crazy again."

Renora: "What about me? I'm your friend, right? Gyo Shin?"

Gyo Shin: "Nobody's my friend!!! Everyone's my enemy!!! Chiyo was my only friend, and only of you bastards killed her!!!"

Emnei: "How about I tell a joke to cheer you up? What did the alpaca say before going on vacation? I'll alpaca my bags!"

Gyo Shin: "SHUT UP!!! NO ONE WANTS TO HEAR YOUR DUMBASS JOKES!!!"

Emnei: "No need to yell at me! Jesus, you're really scaring me! Besides, I thought you love jokes like this!"

Yemon: "Everyone, we should just leave her alone for now. She's going through a real tough time. It's best if we don't interfere."

Nori: "I agree."

The statue started shaking yet again. It then opened up the elevator door, which we then all hurried inside. As soon as we all cramped inside, the elevator started dropping yet again. I have to say, it feels a lot more spacious when so many people have died. It just feels so unnatural. Especially since Renjiro isn't here with us. Or maybe it's because everyone except Chimon, Akina, Emnei, and Tetsu seemed to be inching away from me. I'm really nervous about this, but I have no choice but to be optimistic! If I did it two times before, I can do it again! After what felt like forever, the elevator finally opened up. But I noticed that in Renjiro's stand was what seemed to be a monitor right above a chair. Is this how he's going to communicate.

Monokuma: "Hello everyone! You know the drill! Stand next to your assigned stands, and we can get things rolling!"

Yemon: "What's up with the monitor next to Renjiro's stand?"

Monokuma: "That's how he's going to communicate with us. I managed to hook up a laptop in the informatory. Speaking of, let's turn on the power! Let Renjiro speak to us all!"

The monitor suddenly turned on, and on the screen was Renjiro on the hospital bed, sleeping?

Monokuma: "Huh? Renjiro?"

Renjiro: *Snore*

Monokuma: "WAKE THE FUCK UP RENJIRO!!! IT'S TRIAL TIME!!!"

Renjiro: "AHHHHHHHH!!!"

Monokuma: "There we go. You can't participate while you are out there snoozing away!"

Renjiro: "Huh? What the hell is this laptop doing here? I don't remember this being in here."

Monokuma: "I hooked it up while you were sleeping so you can participate with everyone else in the class trial. Say hello!"

Renjiro: "Oh, hi everyone."

Nori: "Hiiii Renjiro! How are you feeling?"

Renjiro: "Still feel really fucking awful actually."

Emnei: "Can Renjiro even be executed when he's standing here like this?"

Monokuma: "Of course he can! I'm not going to abandon the trial rules! If he votes for the wrong person, then he's going to get executed! Though it does disappoint me that he's not here in the trial grounds. I normally like to set up a really fancy execution to murder you all when you make the wrong choice, but unfortunately, he's can't go through a thing like that. I'll probably just lethally inject him or something. Anyways, enough about Renjiro! Let's get things started!"

We all took our assigned seats. Chiyo Gima, the Ultimate Gardener. She was so sweet and innocent. I don't think anybody had a problem with her. Which just makes it all the more unbelievable that someone would murder her so brutally. Why? Why did they have to kill her? I guess I have to found out at the class trial, because yet again. The culprit is one of us. Who did it? Who killed Chiyo? Is it related to the attacks on Chimon or Renjiro? Or is are they completely separate incidents? Thus begins the third trial of hope and despair.

TRIAL PREPERATION

TRUTH BULLETS:

1/21 MONOKUMA FILE 3: "The victim's name is Chiyo Gima, the Ultimate Gardener. The victim's body was found in the Biology Lab. The time of death is 12:15 AM. The victim's neck was broken as a result of it being hanged by a rope. They also suffered from a deep stab wound due to a weapon being stabbed into their stomach. Finally, the victim's body was covered in burnt marks, leaving horrible scars."

2/21 KITCHEN KNIFE: A kitchen knife found stabbed deep within Chiyo's stomach. Since it came from the kitchen, it could have come from anyone.

3/21 STEPLADDER: A stepladder found within the biology lab. It stood right next to Chiyo's hanging body. It is approximately 10 feet tall. There's also a bloodstain on one of the rails, but it was surprisingly high up.

4/21 ROPE FOR HANGING: A rope used to hang Chiyo's body. It hangs from a hook that is eight feet above the top of the stepladder. It could have come from either the physics lab or the warehouse.

5/21 BLOODY FOOTPRINT: A bloody footprint was found in a large bloodstain in the physics lab. It belongs to Doryo.

6/22 BLOODY PAPER: Pieces of bloody paper were found in both the trash bins of both the biology and the physics lab, as if they were cut from a much larger paper. There seems to be more paper in the physics lab trash bin than the biology lab trash bin.

7/21 TETSU'S ACCOUNT: Tetsu claimed to have witnessed Doryo in the gym at around 12:40 PM.

8/21 KEYCARDS: Only Tetsu, Akina, Emnei, Nori, Yemon, Chiyo, Renjiro, and Chimon have keycards. They are required in order to enter either the physics or the biology lab. Nori and Emnei claimed that their keycards were stolen, however.

9/21 ROBO JUSTICE COSTUME: According to Emnei, a Robo Justice costume was stolen from his lab. Its size is large, which means it can only fit people that are 5'11 to 6'1 in height.

10/21 NORI'S SECRET: Nori's secret was listed on Chiyo's monopod. Apparently, no one else had Nori's secret according to everyone's claims.

11/21 DRUGGED FOOD: Renora, Gyo Shin, Akina, Emnei, Sashi, Chiyo, Nori, and Chimon were all in the dining hall today. At 8:00 AM, Renora, Akina, Emnei, Sashi, and Chiyo all ate from the food that Nori served and instantly fell asleep, meaning it was laced with sleeping drugs. According to Akina, Nori ate from the food and didn't fall asleep. Chimon left the dining hall, not even taking a single bite out of his food, so he didn't fall asleep. Gyo Shin never ate from the food even though she stayed put in her seat. Everyone woke up at 1:00 PM. However, Chiyo was no longer in the dining hall.

12/21 YEMON'S SUSPICIOUS BEHAVIOR: Yesterday morning, Yemon suddenly demanded that everyone gives him their monopods or else they will be thrown in jail. After taking a quick glance at all of them, he returned the monopods to us.

13/21 BIOLOGY LAB CARD RECORD: A record of all the card keys used to enter the Biology Lab. It lists the following records: CHIYO IN: 12:00 PM. NORI IN: 12:40 PM. NORI OUT: 12:45 PM.

14/21 PHYSICS LAB CARD RECORD: A record of all the card keys used to enter the Physics Lab. It lists the following records: EMNEI IN: 9:20 AM. RENJIRO IN: 9:25 AM. EMNEI OUT: 9:30 AM. NORI IN: 11:30 AM. YEMON IN: 11:30 AM. CHIMON IN: 11:40 AM. YEMON OUT: 11:59 AM. NORI OUT: 12:39 PM.

15/21 BLOODY HAMMER: A bloody hammer that was found in the locker Chimon was in. It's assumed to be the weapon that was used to attack him.

16/21 DUCT TAPE: Large amounts of duct tape were found in the Physics Lab trash bin.

17/21 LAB LOCKERS: According to Nori, Chimon was found in her locker, while Renjiro was found in Emnei's locker. All the lockers are assigned to a specific person, so they require their keycard to open them.

18/21 NORI'S ACCOUNT: In the morning, Nori took a five-minute bathroom break, briefly leaving the kitchen.

19/21 RENJIRO'S ATTACK: Renjiro got a text message from Emnei, asking to meet him in the Physics Lab at 9:25 AM. Renjiro, following the message, entered the Physics Lab at the asked time, only to be stabbed in the chest with a kitchen knife by an unknown person. Renjiro instantly lost consciousness. When he woke up, he was inside one of the lab lockers. According to Renjiro, the attacker was wearing some kind of robot costume.

20/21 CHMON'S ATTACK: At 11:40 AM, Chimon entered the Physics Lab, only to be knocked unconscious from behind. When Chimon woke up, he was inside one of the lab lockers. While Chimon didn't see his attacker, he saw Yemon in the Physics Lab.

21/21 ANTIBIOTICS: Twelve of Monokuma's Special Sleeping Pills were taken from the pharmacy. Ten Type A pills, one Type B pill, and on Type C pill. Type A pills cause the person who swallows them to fall asleep for 5 hours, while Type C pills cause the person who swallows them to fall asleep for 3 hours. Type B pills are the same as Type A pills, except they take longer to go into effect.

CLASS TRIAL IN-SESSION

Monokuma: "Ahem! Now then, let's begin with a basic explanation of the class trial! During the trial you will all debate on who you think the culprit is, and vote for "whodunnit." Vote correctly, and only the blackened will be punished. But if you pick the wrong person, I'll punish everyone besides the blackened, and that person will have the right to graduate from this academy. Also, refusing to vote results in your death, so you better vote for someone."

Chimon: "Before we get started, I need to ask a question. Tetsu, are you actually going to fully participate in these debates this time, or are you still only going to answer questions?"

Tetsu: "I'm going to speak even when people don't ask me to from now on, because I trust most of you guys. I'm not going to be shy anymore."

Chimon: "That's good."

Gyo Shin: "............"

Gyo Shin just stared at me, with a look of serious anger. It was a look of suspicion.

Sashi: "Ummmm, Gyo Shin? Why are you staring at me?"

Gyo Shin: "Because it's obvious! It's obvious you're the one who killed Chiyo!"

Akina: "And what reason do you have for believing such a thing?"

Gyo Shin: "Renora saw Sashi steal weapons from the armory! If she was willing to kill then, what makes you think she's not willing to kill now! She's just a heartless murderer!"

Emnei: "Gyo Shin, I understand you're upset about the whole situation, but randomly accusing people is not the best way to deal with your feelings, especially with our lives on the line. There's no evidence that proves Sashi is the murderer."

Gyo Shin: "Well, there's no evidence that proves she didn't do it either!"

Chimon: "Are we really going to start off the class trial like this? Can we stop with our mindless accusations and just go on to discussing the crime scene?"

Renora: "That is a good idea. We should save our accusations for when the conclusions we form point to specific people. Right now, we're just getting started, so there's no way we can know for sure who's the killer."

Nori: "Renora's right! Let's just talk about whatever we noticed at the crime scene! If we put our heads together, we are sure to come up with the right answer!"

Here begins our first debate. The question is, will people still trust me enough to listen to what I have to say? I guess I just have to find out for myself.

NON-STOP DEBATE START

TRUTH BULLETS:

1) MONOKUMA FILE 3

2) STEPLADDER

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

. Emnei: "Chiyo's body was found..."

. Emnei: "in the Physics Lab."

. Nori: "The body was hanged up by a rope."

. Yemon: "Does that mean..."

. Yemon: "*hanging was the cause of death*?"

. Renjiro: "Then was it ^suicide^?"

. Akina: "The Monokuma file never mentioned..."

. Akina: "the cause of death, so..."

. Akina: "Any injuries on Chiyo's body could...

. Akina: "have been the cause of death."

. Renora: "Then maybe it was ^the knife^?"

. Renora: "That could have been the cause of death."

What was Chiyo's cause of death? The Monokuma File doesn't specify, so we just have to look at Chiyo's injuries and form our conclusions.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sashi: "NO, THAT'S WRONG!"

BREAK

Sashi: "Sorry Yemon, but that's incorrect."

Yemon: "And what business does a killer like you have telling me what's correct or incorrect?"

Sashi: "Are you still on about that? I never tried to kill anybody!"

Renjiro: "That's what killers always say. Why should we believe you?"

Sashi: "Listen, even if I did try to kill someone, does that mean I shouldn't participate in the class trial at all? Our lives are on the line, you know! What if I'm the only one who can save you all!"

Renora: "There's plenty of people that are smart enough to save us. Say what you want, but we have no reason to believe what you speak. You are an untrustworthy person."

Yemon: "I'd rather have anybody else tell me I'm wrong than someone like you!"

Sashi: "Come on guys! This is absolutely ridiculous!"

Chimon: "Why do you people believe Renora so much anyways? I thought you all had a better opinion of Sashi than Renora. Why are you all suddenly turning against her? Is this what friendship is?"

Renora: "See! People are disbelieving me yet again! All I did was tell the truth, and I'm getting bashed for it!"

Nori: "Don't worry Renora. I still believe in you."

Emnei: "There's no evidence that even proves that Sashi did what she did!"

Renora: "Evidence? What the fuck are you talking about? There was evidence."

Sashi: "Huh? Evidence?

Yemon: "You didn't even see the photos that Renora shown us? God, you and Emnei are even more clueless than I thought! We believe Renora for a reason!"

Renora suddenly took out a camera and showed the photos of my room? And there was an axe on my bed!

Sashi: "What the hell!? I never had an axe there! You must have placed it there!"

Renora: "Oh my. That's quite an accusation there. Do you have any evidence to support your claim?"

Sashi: "No, but still! This is not legitimate evidence! Anyone could have placed the axe there!"

Nori: "Still, the evidence clearly points more to you than anybody else! Or does it not?"

Sashi: "So, you're not going to listen to what I have to say?"

Gyo Shin: "Not really."

What am I going to do now? Nobody believes me. Why don't they see it? I'm clearly innocent. But even if I wasn't, there's no reason to ignore my reasoning. Is this going to cost us our lives? I just wish someone else was there to lead the trials if I can't.

...............................

Sashi. Why won't anybody believe her? The evidence doesn't prove anything! God these people make me so angry! I just want to punch someone in the room! But if she can't lead the trials, then maybe I can. I know what Sashi is trying to hint at, so I guess I just have to finish her thoughts!

Akina: "Alright then. If you guys won't believe Sashi, then listen to what I have to say."

Doryo: "When the fuck were you in charge of things?"

Akina: "Just right the fuck now, bitches! I'm going to show you the truth!"

Nori: "What do you have to say then? We'll listen to you."

Akina: "Hanging was not actually the cause of death."

Yemon: "And how do you know that?"

Akina: "While I was investigating, I noticed something strange. On the stepladder's rail was a bloodstain."

Chimon: "So what? It must have come from when Chiyo was stabbed."

Akina: "But the bloodstain was really high up. It looked like it was maybe 3-4 feet off the ground. If the cause of death was hanging, then wouldn't that mean that the body was stabbed after it was hanged?"

Tetsu: "The stab wound looked too deep to be inflicted before death and not kill Chiyo before her body was hanged."

Emnei: "Not to mention, with Chiyo's small stature, a sharp knife like that could easily kill her in seconds."

Yemon: "Okay, so the body was stabbed after it was hanged? What's the issue?"

Akina: "If she was stabbed while her body was still hanging, wouldn't all the blood just drop to the floor?"

Renora: "Yeah. It might splatter a bit on top of the stepladder, but that's about it."

Akina: "In that case, why would there be a bloodstain here? The bloody rail is below and away from the top step, which is where the body is hanged next to. In that case, why would the blood hit this specific spot? It doesn't make any sense. All of the blood should have hit the floor, or at most splattered to hit the very bottom rails, not this high up."

Gyo Shin: "Yeah, I see your point. It's not like the killer swung the body so the blood would hit the rail at a diagonal angle."

Renjiro: "Then what does it mean?"

Akina: "The only explanation is that the body was stabbed before being hanged. Most likely, at the floor where the bloodstain is. The blood from the stomach could have splattered the rail easily considering its position."

Renora: "Or maybe the stepladder was even upright at the time, so the blood didn't even have to splatter very high up."

Akina: "So it's simply inconceivable that hanging was the cause of death!"

Chimon: "Honestly, I don't even know why the killer even bothered hanging the body. While it obfuscates the cause of death, it doesn't do much besides that. Considering all the injuries on Chiyo's body, it's pretty obvious that suicide is not the answer. All hanging the body does it create more evidence."

Sashi: "My best guess it was used to divert us. It was done to make us more confused. By hanging the body, it just makes the murder even more complicated. While each mystery may be easy to solve by itself, by adding them on top of each other, it can get really confusing."

Emnei: "Anyways, we now know that hanging isn't the cause of death, but what now?"

Doryo: "Is there any way to narrow the goddamn suspects? Because this is confusing as hell to me."

A way to narrow down the suspects. Hmm. What evidence shows multiple suspects and seemingly innocent people?

Question: What evidence can best be used to narrow down suspects?

SELECT TRUTH BULLET

CORRECT ANSWER: DRUGGED FOOD

Akina: "That's it."

Akina: "Most of us arrived at the dining hall today. These people were me, Sashi, Emnei, Gyo Shin, Renora, Chiyo, Chimon, and Nori. During this time, several ate from the food that Nori served. However, it caused us to fall asleep. That must mean that the drug was laced with sleeping drugs."

Yemon: "But doesn't that mean those people all have alibis?"

Akina: "Not necessarily. There were a couple strange things I noticed while I was examining the scene at the time. First of all, Chimon never ate from the food. He just left the dining hall, leaving the food where it was."

Chimon: "Because people were eating from it and falling asleep. I'm not going to fall into that trap."

Akina: "What's also notable is that Nori ate from the food but didn't fall asleep."

Gyo Shin: "I knew it! Nori is the fucking culprit! She made the food, so she's obviously the one who drugged it! The reason why she didn't fall asleep is because she didn't lace her food! You fucking killed Chiyo, you bitch!"

Nori: "No, I didn't! I swear to god! I did fall asleep! It just took a while to take into effect!"

Gyo Shin: "As if we would believe something like that! I'm completely convinced now! This bitch is the fucking killer!"

Akina: "I also noticed that Gyo Shin never ate from the food."

Gyo Shin: "WHAT!?! But I did eat from the food! I was just waiting for everyone else to eat first! I wanted to see who would fall asleep because of the food before consuming it myself!"

Chimon: "You knew the food was drugged, yet you ate from it anyways? What a goddamn fool."

Nori: "Just because I made the food doesn't mean I drugged it!"

Gyo Shin: "I didn't either! I never had a chance to anyways!"

Chimon: "If I was going to drug the food, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't make myself look so suspicious."

1) Nori: "I didn't drug the food!"

2) Gyo Shin: "I didn't drug the food!"

3) Chimon: "I didn't drug the food!"

MASS PANIC DEBATE START

TRUTH BULLETS:

1) DRUGGED FOOD

2) CHIMON'S ATTACK

3) ANITBIOTICS

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

. 1) Nori: "I admit I made the food..."

2) Gyo Shin: "I noticed that everyone was falling asleep..."

3) Chimon: "I didn't do anything to the food."

. 1) Nori: "but that doesn't mean I drugged it!"

2) Gyo Shin: "so I figured the food was drugged!"

3) Chimon: "I noticed that that the food was causing..."

. 1) Renjiro: "Yeah, but that doesn't explain you not falling asleep."

2) Gyo Shin: "I decided to wait until everyone else fell asleep..."

3) Chimon: "everyone to lose consciousness so..."

. 1) Nori: "*I did fall asleep*!

2) Gyo Shin: "before seeing if my food was also drugged."

3) Chimon: "I decided the food was unsafe and left."

. 1) Nori: "*It just took me longer to fall asleep*!"

2) Gyo Shin: "Why are you accusing me anyways?"

3) Chimon: "Besides, there's no way I could have murdered Chiyo..."

. 1) Renjiro: "And what's to say you're not lying?"

2) Gyo Shin: "NORI MADE THE FOOD, SO SHE'S OBVIOUSLY THE CULPRIT!!!"

3) Chimon: "because ^I have an alibi^."

Who drugged the food? Who didn't drug the food? Maybe I just need to listen to everyone's voices to find the answer.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Akina: "I agree!"

BREAK

Akina: "I can't believe I have to bring this up. It's obvious that Chimon didn't drug the food!"

Sashi: "Um, Akina. Nobody said anything about Chimon being the culprit. You were the one who brought him up in the first place, and all he did was try to explain why he didn't drug the food. Why are you acting like everyone is an idiot?

Akina: "Uhhhh. Oops. I think I just got a little too excited about this whole thing. I just wanted to prove you all wrong like Sashi always does!"

Renora: "Why are you excited about this? Our lives are on the line, you know."

Akina: "I know that! I just wanted to lead the trial so bad that I got a bit ahead of myself. Please, can you let me just explain myself?"

Emnei: "Go ahead."

Akina: "Anyway, Chimon didn't drug the food!

Nori: "I guess I'm supposed to give an over-the-top reaction here. Why the fuck do you think that!?"

Akina: "Because he has an alibi, dumbasses! I don't know. Maybe it's the fact that he literally got attacked at 11:40 AM, which is 35 whole minutes before the time of death, 12:15 PM."

Yemon: "Just because he has an alibi doesn't mean he didn't drug the food. All that proves is that he didn't kill Chiyo. It doesn't prove that he didn't drug the food."

Akina: "Well then, explain to me. What reason would Chimon have for drugging the food is there if he's not the culprit?"

Yemon: "I don't know. Maybe he wanted to give us all alibis?"

Akina: "Alibis for what? It's not like he could have predicted a murder was going to happen soon."

Chimon: "Exactly. I wasn't even thinking about people being killed at the time. Besides, by the time I arrived, the food was almost already finished. There was no opportunity for me to even drug the food."

Akina: "Then Chimon is clearly innocent in both of terms of murder and drugging the food!"

Tetsu: "Yeah. We figured that was the case."

Doryo: "Hey! I didn't know that! I wasn't aware of what time Chimon was even attacked!"

Tetsu: "But I guess we have to explain everything just so Doryo gets it."

Akina: "Yeah."

Gyo Shin: "Anyways, I don't even know why we're discussing me and Chimon as possible suspects when it's clear that only Nori could have drugged the food!"

Nori: "I already told you, I didn't drug the food!"

Gyo Shin: "Then why don't you shut the fuck up and listen to my reasoning!"

NON-STOP DEBATE START

TRUTH BULLETS:

1) DRUGGED FOOD

2) ANTIBIOTICS

3) NORI'S ACCOUNT

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

. Gyo Shin: "^Nori drugged the food^!"

. Nori: "No, I didn't!"

. Tetsu: "Just because she made the food..."

. Tetsu: "doesn't mean she's the one who drugged it."

. Gyo Shin: "But who else would have the opportunity..."

. Gyo Shin: "to even touch the food?"

. Gyo Shin: "Nori was in the kitchen *the whole time*, so..."

. Gyo Shin: "No one else could have drugged the food!"

. Yemon: "Not to mention, she also didn't fall asleep..."

. Yemon: "when she ate the food."

. Nori: "That's because it took a *longer to take effect*!"

. Gyo Shin: "Just admit you killed my friend!"

. Nori: "I didn't kill anyone!"

. Nori: "Why doesn't anybody believe me!?"

Was Nori really the only person who could have drugged the food? Does my evidence hold the answer?

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Akina: "NO, THAT'S WRONG!!!"

BREAK

Akina: "Actually, Nori wasn't in the kitchen the whole time!"

Yemon: "Why are you shouting the same thing as Sashi!? It hurts my ears!"

Akina: "Uhh, I don't know. I guess I'm just really inspired by her."

Sashi: "You don't have to copy me. Being the trial leader doesn't mean you have to shout all the time."

Akina: "But I want to shout, dammit! It makes me feel important!"

Emnei: "Can we stop yelling about yelling? Let's just get to the point."

Akina: "Anyways, Nori took a brief bathroom break during her time cooking in the kitchen. I know because I saw her leave the kitchen myself!"

Nori: "Yeah. I did leave to go to the bathroom now that you mention it. I was gone for like five minutes."

Akina: "During that time, anybody could have entered the kitchen and tampered with the food, so she's not the only suspect..."

Gyo Shin: "THAT'S A JOKE OF AN ARGUMENT!!!"

Huh? Why is she so angry?

Gyo Shin: "She's not the only suspect my ass! She's clearly the only one who could have possibly committed this murder!"

Akina: "Why the hell are you so hesitant on Nori being the culprit? And why are you so angry? You're acting really suspicious right now!"

Gyo Shin: "I'm not fucking suspicious, Nori is! If I'm going to avenge Chiyo's death, then I have to fight for the truth!"

REBUTTAL SHOWDOWN START

TRUTH BULLETS:

1) ANTIBIOTICS

2) DRUGGED FOOD

3) KEYCARDS

4) NORI'S ACCOUNT

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

. Gyo Shin: "Nori is the fucking culprit!"

. Gyo Shin: "Even if she's not the only one..."

. Gyo Shin: "who could have *entered the kitchen*..."

. Gyo Shin: "all the evidence clearly points to her!"

. Gyo Shin: "There are no other suspects!"

ADVANCE

Akina: "What do you mean there are no other suspects? Didn't I just prove that literally anybody could have drugged the food?"

. Gyo Shin: "I'm talking about her own food!"

. Gyo Shin: "How come when she ate from her plate..."

. Gyo Shin: "*she didn't fall asleep*!"

. Gyo Shin: "The reason is obvious!"

. Gyo Shin: "*Her plate wasn't drugged at all*!"

. Gyo Shin: "Nori may claim she fell asleep later..."

. Gyo Shin: "and it just took a while to come into effect..."

. Gyo Shin: "but there's *no concrete evidence that supports her claim*!"

I don't need to prove Nori's innocence completely! I just need to prove that she's not the only one who could have drugged the food!

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Akina: "I'LL CUT THROUGH YOUR WORDS!!!"

BREAK

Akina: "Actually, Nori's plate was drugged! It was just with a different type than most of the other plates!"

Gyo Shin: "Different type?"

Akina: "12 of Monokuma's Special Sleeping Pills was stolen. There's no doubt that these were used to drug the food! There are three different types of sleeping pills. Type A, Type B, and Type C. Most plates were laced with Type A, which causes someone to fall asleep for around 5 hours."

Emnei: "That matches up with the times we both fell asleep and woke up."

Akina: "However, Nori's plate was not laced with Type A pills. Rather it was laced with Type B pills. They're very similar to Type B pills, except they take longer to go into effect. This matches what Nori said. It's not that she didn't fall asleep, it just took longer for the effects to work!"

Chimon: "Not to mention, the fact that 12 pills were taken clearly means that one pill was taken for each student. I highly doubt that Nori's food wasn't drugged in that case."

Gyo Shin: "Still, there's no proof that claims that Nori did fall asleep! She could have just taken the Type B pill to prove her innocence!"

Nori: "Come on! I'm not even smart enough to do something like that!"

Chimon: "Valid statement right here."

Nori: "You didn't have to agree with it."

Akina: "But you were saying that Nori is the only possible suspect, which she clearly isn't. All it means now is that there's just more suspects than just Nori."

Renora: "But why would the killer even lace Nori's food with Type B sleeping pills anyways?"

Sashi: "Because they were trying to frame Nori by making it look like the food wasn't drugged at all. If her food wasn't drugged, then obviously suspicion would fall on her."

Renora: "I see. That makes sense. They were trying to make someone witness the fact that Nori ate from the food and didn't fall asleep, which happened with Akina and Gyo Shin."

Tetsu: "Okay, so I think we're done talking about the drugged food now. That didn't narrow things down as much as I hoped. All we figured out was that Chimon is innocent, which was obvious from the start, and that there's other suspects besides Nori."

Doryo: "Dammit! How the fuck are we going to find the culprit now!?"

Akina: "I think we need to go back to what we were originally discussing, the crime scene. First of all, we haven't even figured out the actual cause of death. We also haven't brought up Renjiro's attack yet."

Renjiro: "That's right! I don't care if it's relevant or not! I want to find the bastard who tried to kill me!"

Akina: "If there's any clues that can possibly lead to who's the culprit or what happened, you should speak up, because right now's the perfect time."

Nori: "Wait, I know!"

Akina: "What is it, Nori?"

Nori: "Me and Renora found something while we were investigating the biology lab! Everyone keep your ears wide open for what I have to say!"

NON-STOP DEBATE BEGIN

TRUTH BULLETS:

1) BLOODY FOOTPRINT

2) BLOODY PAPER

3) KITCHEN KNIFE

4) TETSU'S ACCOUNT

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

. Nori: "While me and Renora were investigating..."

. Nori: "the Biology lab, we found something of interest."

. Emnei: "What was it?"

. Nori: "We found a bloody footprint!"

. Nori: "It clearly *belonged to Doryo*!"

. Doryo: "WHAT THE FUCK!!!"

. Doryo: "^I didn't even enter the Biology Lab^!"

. Doryo: "So how could I have left a footprint there!?"

. Nori: "But it clearly belonged to you..."

. Nori: "so what other explanation is there?"

. Doryo: "I don't fucking know!"

. Doryo: "All I know is that..."

. Doryo: "*I definitely didn't make that footprint*!"

. Sashi: "Maybe *the footprint is fake*?"

. Chimon: "How the hell do you even fake a footprint?"

There's no question that the footprint is Doryo's, but what does that mean?

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Akina: "I agree!"

BREAK

Akina: "Actually, Doryo couldn't have made that footprint!"

Nori: "Huh? But it definitely matched his! No one else wears sandals."

Akina: "True, but Doryo couldn't even have entered the Biology Lab. He was in the gym at the time. Right, Tetsu?"

Tetsu: "Yeah. I saw Doryo in the gym at around 12:40 PM, so he couldn't have entered the Biology Lab!"

Gyo Shin: "So the fuck what!? The victim was murdered before 12:40 PM, so he still could have killed Chiyo! I'm calling it right now! That wannabe gangster killed Chiyo!"

Doryo: "What the fuck did you say to me, funny pants! I'm not a wannabe gangster! I am a gangster!"

Akina: "Can you kindly please shut the fuck up Doryo and never open your mouth ever again?"

Doryo: "You don't get to tell me what to do, you fucking bitch!"

Akina: "Anyways, the time does matter Gyo Shin, because Doryo could only have entered the Biology Lab during that period."

Question: What proves that Doryo has an alibi?

SELECT TRUTH BULLET

CORRECT ANSWER: BIOLOGY LAB CARD RECORD

Akina: "That's it."

Akina: "If you look at the Biology Lab card record, there are only three records. The first one lists Chiyo going in at 12:00 AM. The second one lists Nori going in at 12:40 AM. Finally, the third one lists Nori going out at 12:55 AM."

Gyo Shin: "See, I knew it! Nori is the killer!"

Chimon: "Just a minute ago you were saying that Doryo is the killer. Make up your goddamn mind."

Sashi: "Don't forget that anyone could have used Nori's keycard. Not to mention, she claims that hers was stolen."

Nori: "Yeah. Someone must have used my keycard to frame me for the crime!"

Gyo Shin: "Well, I don't believe you!"

Akina: "Let's stop talking about who's the killer and who's not. The names aren't important. What's important is that literally the only time the killer could have entered the Biology Lab is 12:40 AM, which is the exact time Doryo was in the gym."

Yemon: "Then I guess he didn't make the footprint after all."

Emnei: "Then why was his footprint found?"

Akina: "I'm not actually sure. We may have to figure that out later."

Renora: "Hold on. I'm noticing something about this card record."

Akina: "What is it, Renora?"

Renora: "Look at the times listed. Doesn't it contradict the time of death? Chiyo died at 12:15 PM, yet the only time the killer could have entered is 12:40 PM."

Renjiro: "Couldn't Chiyo have entered the Biology Lab at 12:00 PM like it said, and stayed there until the killer came at 12:40 PM?"

Renora: "But Chiyo should have been asleep at the time. The sleeping drug she took lasted for five hours, remember?"

Renjiro: "Oh yeah. I didn't go to the dining hall, so I'm less likely to remember the details of the drugged food."

Akina: "That's definitely a contradiction though."

What does the contradiction mean though? Was does this change about the case?

Question: Why does the record contradict the time of death?

SELECT ANSWER

A) The time of death is wrong

B) The cause of death is wrong

C) The crime scene is wrong

CORRECT ANSWER: C

Akina: "That must be it."

Akina: "Then Chiyo must not have been killed in the biology lab!"

Doryo: "Are you stupid!? Her body was literally found in the biology lab! Not to mention all the blood that was at the scene!"

Chimon: "Just because her body was found there doesn't mean she was killed there."

Doryo: "Well maybe, but that still doesn't explain all the blood!"

Chiyo wasn't murdered in the Biology Lab. But in that case, why was there so much blood at the Biology Lab? What does this all mean? I need to think long and hard about this.

PSYCHE TAXI START

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Question 1: If Chiyo was killed somewhere else, then what else is different?

A) The time of death

B) The cause of death

C) Both

CORRECT ANSWER: B

Question 2: What is Chiyo's real cause of death?

A) Body Burns

B) Stab Wound

C) Hanging

CORRECT ANSWER: A

Question 3: Where did Chiyo actually die?

A) Dining Hall

B) Biology Lab

C) Physics Lab

CORRECT ANSWER: C

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Akina: "It connects!"

COMPLETE

Akina: "If Chiyo died somewhere else, then her cause of death can't be stabbing or hanging! As her body was both hanged and stabbed in the Biology Lab."

Sashi: "Given the amount of blood in the Biology Lab, it's obvious she was stabbed there."

Emnei: "Then Chiyo cause of death must be related to her body burns, right?

Akina: "Yes. Also, she definitely died in the Physics Lab. I can't think of any other murder location."

Yemon: "How do you know that though?"

Akina: "Well, there's a piece of evidence that prove a connection between the two labs. Using that, I was able to conclude that Chiyo was killed in the Physics Lab and her body was moved to the Biology Lab."

Question: What shows a connection between the Physics and Biology Labs?

SELECT TRUTH BULLETS

CORRECT ANSWER: PHYSICS LAB CARD RECORD

Akina: "If you look at the Physics Lab Card Record, you can notice that both Nori is also listed under the card keys used, just like the Biology Lab Card Record."

Gyo Shin: "There's just so much evidence against you, Nori! There's no way you're not the culprit!"

Chimon: "I think the sheer amount of evidence against Nori proves that she's not actually the culprit. Even someone like her wouldn't be stupid enough to use her own keycard to enter a crime scene."

Yemon: "Unless she was purposely trying to make herself look as suspicious as possible so we would think she's too obvious to be the culprit. That's what she was trying to make us think. She was trying to make us think that there's too much evidence against her to make her the culprit."

Chimon: "She's also not smart enough to do that."

Nori: "I feel like I'm being both complimented and insulted at the same time!"

Akina: "Well, the person using Nori's cardkey is definitely the culprit, as they entered both the Physics Lab and the Biology Lab."

Yemon: "I think I see now. It definitely seems like Chiyo was killed in the Physics Lab."

Renjiro: "Speaking of the Physics Lab, can we finally talk about the person who attacked me? They tried to kill me in the Physics Lab! I want to know the scumbag who did it!"

Emnei: "I guess we should cover it, but is it even relevant to the actual murder?"

Sashi: "Speaking of. Monokuma, are we allowed to talk about the attack on Renjiro even if it doesn't directly relate to the murder?"

Monokuma: "Finally, someone asked me a question! I was getting tired of spectating this class trial without proving any own input. The answer to that question is no! If it doesn't relate to the murder, then you can't talk about it! After all, I wouldn't want you guys to randomly talk about topics that have nothing to do with the murder at hand! So, I tell you what. If you can prove that there's a direct connection between the attempted murder of Renjiro and the actual murder of Chiyo, then I'll allow you to find the culprit behind it."

Monopup: "I got to say, I never expected someone to actually survive a murder attempt!"

Monokuma: "I know! Good thing Chiyo died right afterwards, because otherwise I was going to be really upset! Stupid Renjiro! How dare you try to defy my murder game by surviving such a deep stab wound! If nobody died within the next six hours, I was about to come over there and kill you myself!"

Renjiro: "Well fuck you Monokuma, because I did end up surviving."

Monokuma: "Only because of your ridiculous muscle mass! You're strong enough to survive anything!"

Akina: "Anyways, I guess I need to prove a connection between the two incidents."

Question: "What shows a connection between the attacks on Chiyo and Renjiro?

SELECT TRUTH BULLET

CORRECT ANSWER: KITCHEN KNIFE

Akina: "That's it."

Akina: "A kitchen knife! Renjiro and Chiyo were both stabbed with a kitchen knife!"

Renjiro: "Now that you think about, that is true! I didn't take a good look at it, so I don't know if it's the exact same kitchen knife. Still, it definitely was a kitchen knife!"

Emnei: "So is it the same kitchen knife?"

Akina: "I'm not sure, actually."

Nori: "It's the same kitchen knife."

Chimon: "And how do you know that?"

Nori: "Because there was only one knife missing from my kitchen."

Sashi: "Then there's no question then. The two incidents are related, even if it's only by a knife."

Tetsu: "The killer must have walked over to the Physics Lab, picked up the bloody knife that was laying on the floor, and brought it all the way over to the Biology Lab to stab Chiyo. This obfuscated the cause of death."

Gyo Shin: "Hold up, now that I'm thinking about it, there's something that doesn't match up with Renjiro's story."

Renjiro: "Huh? What does?"

Gyo Shin: "If Renjiro was stabbed in the Physics Lab, why aren't there any bloodstains on the floor?"

Akina: "That's a good question that I can answer."

Question: Why aren't they any bloodstains in the Physics Lab?

SELECT TRUTH BULLET

CORRECT ANSWER: BLOODY PAPER

Akina: "That must be what the bloody paper was for. It was used to absorb the bloodstains."

Tetsu: "I guess, but why would they do that? What would they gain from getting rid of all the blood? Renjiro was obviously still stabbed in the Physics Lab."

Emnei: "Not to mention, it doesn't explain the fact that the paper was cut into pieces."

Akina: "Yeah? Does anybody have any ideas? Because I honestly have no idea."

Sashi: "YOU'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK!!!"

Sashi: "It's correct that the bloody paper was used to absorb bloodstains, but that wasn't it's only purpose. What it's other purpose? Why don't we figure it out together? Normally I would just tell everyone the answer, but no one trusts me right now, as you can tell. So, let's see what we can conclude."

LOGIC TEAM START

TRUTH BULLETS

1) BLOODY PAPER

2) KITCHEN KNIFE

3) CARD KEYS

4) STEPLADDER

5) BLOODY FOOTPRINT

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

. Sashi: "The killer used the bloody paper..."

. Sashi: "to absorb all the bloodstains."

. Sashi: "But for what purpose?"

. Sashi: "Think about what the killer was trying to."

. Sashi: "They were trying to ^move one crime scene to another^."

. Sashi: "If you look at that, then you're sure to find the right answer."

ADVANCE

Akina: "What do you mean move one crime scene to another? How is this related to the bloody paper?

. Sashi: "Chiyo wasn't killed in the Biology Lab."

. Sashi: "^She was killed in the Physics Lab^."

. Sashi: "But the killer was trying to make it look like..."

. Sashi: "she was killed in the biology lab."

. Sashi: "So they transferred the crime scene."

. Sashi: "Does this ^include bloodstains^?"

. Sashi: "Is it ^related to Renjiro's attack^?"

Sashi claims that the killer was moving the crime scene to another. In that case, how does it involve the bloody paper? What was it used for?

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Akina and Sashi: "WE FORMED OUR LOGIC TOGETHER!!!"

COMPLETE

Akina: "That's it! They used the bloody paper to transfer the bloodstains from one crime scene to another!"

Renora: "Transfer the bloodstains?"

Akina: "Well more specifically, they transferred a footprint from one crime scene to another!"

Nori: "Wait, are you talking about Doryo's footprint?"

Akina: "That's exactly what I'm talking about!"

Renjiro: "But how the hell do you transfer a footprint?"

How do you transfer a footprint? Maybe it's related to how the footprint was created in the first place.

HANGMAN'S GAMBIT START

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Question: How was the footprint transferred?

AVILABLE LETTERS: P R T A C E K D

_ _ _ _ _ _

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CORRECT ANSWER: TRACED

Akina: "I see now!"

COMPLETE

Akina: "I got it! They traced the footprint using the paper!"

Renjiro: "Oh, so they used the paper as an outline for the footprint, which they then traced onto the paper. Once they created the paper footprint, they simply cut it out. All the rest of the paper was cut and left the Physics Lab trash bin. Next, they simply placed the paper footprint on the bloodstain in the Biology Lab, creating what looked to be a real paper. They then cut the footprint too, and left the evidence in the Biology Lab."

Chimon: "So the bloody footprint was originally found in the Physics Lab. They just simply moved it over to the Biology Lab."

Hold up. There was originally a bloodstain in the Physics Lab that was created when Renjiro was stabbed. But all the blood was absorbed by a paper, getting rid of the footprint that used to be in the Physics Lab. But in that case, the person who attacked Renjiro is...

SELECT SOMEONE

CORRECT ANSWER: DORYO ISHII

Akina: "It has to be you."

DECIDE

Akina: "It's you, Doryo! You tried to kill Renjiro!"

Doryo: "What the fuck are you talking about?"

Renjiro: "I knew it! I knew it would be a total bastard like you!"

Doryo: "Why the fuck do you think I tried to kill him?"

Tetsu: "Isn't it obvious? Your footprint used to be in the Physics Lab before it got moved. There can only be one explanation for this. You left your footprint when you tried to kill Renjiro."

Gyo Shin: "Not to mention, only Doryo would be stupid enough to leave evidence like a footprint laying around for anyone to see."

Doryo: "Are you guys really this fucking stupid? Did you look at the fucking card record!? It's obvious that Emnei is the one who attacked Renjiro!"

Emnei: "You stole my keycard! I had nothing to do with this!"

Doryo: "Really? Can you prove that?"

Emnei: "No, but the footprint still proves you did it! It's irrefutable evidence!"

Doryo: "Really? But there's no proof that the footprint was actually there. You claim that it was moved is nothing but bullshit! It was in the Biology Lab to begin with! The bloody paper was used to get rid of the blood, that's all! Emnei's the culprit, not me!

Renjiro: "I refuse to believe Emnei attacked me! It has to be you, Doryo!"

Doryo: "Okay then! You all fucking believe I'm somehow the one who stabbed Renjiro! Then show me the fucking proof!"

NON-STOP DEBATE START

TRUTH BULLETS:

1) BLOODY FOOTPRINT

2) ROBO JUSTICE COSTUME

3) RENJIRO'S ACCOUNT

4) KITCHEN KNIFE

5) DRUGGED FOOD

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

. Doryo: "I'm not the culprit!"

. Doryo: "^Emnei's the one who attacked Renjiro^!"

. Doryo: "The card record is proof of that!"

. Doryo: "So stop accusing me, assholes!"

. Emnei: "*My keycard was stolen*!"

. Emnei: "I have nothing to do with this!"

. Doryo: "That's what they all say!"

. Tetsu: "There's no proof that Emnei is the one who attacked Renjiro."

. Doryo: "Well there's no evidence that proves I'm guilty either!"

. Renora: "What about the footprint?"

. Doryo: "That was ^in the Biology Lab from the start^!"

. Renjiro: "It's obvious that you attacked me!"

. Renjiro: "But how do we prove it?"

. Chimon: "Wasn't ^Doryo's behavior suspicious^?"

. Doryo: "I'm not suspicious at all!"

. Doryo: "Emnei's the suspicious one, not me!"

There's no question that Doryo was the one who attacked Renjiro, but how do I prove it?"

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Akina: "I agree!"

BREAK

Akina: "Chimon, you're absolutely correct! Doryo was acting suspiciously!"

Chimon: "That's what I thought. If I remember correctly, Doryo never arrived at the dining hall today, but Emnei did. In that case, doesn't that point more towards you than Emnei?"

Doryo: "That's just a coincidence! I just happened to not go to the dining hall today!"

Nori: "What about Emnei? How could he have attacked Renjiro if he was busy sleeping in the dining hall?"

Doryo: "He was obviously faking it!"

Yemon: "But let's just say the culprit isn't Emnei, because it's obviously not him. Wouldn't that mean the killer would have to sneak into the dining hall, take out monopod, send a message to Renjiro, and then steal his keycared?"

Emnei: "All of that is only possible if the killer never actually ate the drugged food, which fits your description completely."

Akina: "See, don't you understand now! You are clearly the one who attacked Renjiro...."

Doryo: "YOUR LOGIC IS COMPLETE BULLSHIT!!!"

Doryo: "Your logic may make sense, but that's only if Emnei isn't the culprit! If Emnei was the culprit, he could just have used his own keycard and monopod! Your accusation is bullshit! I'm not the fucking attacker!"

REBUTTAL SHOWDOWN START

TRUTH BULLETS:

1) KITCHEN KNIFE

2) RENJIRO'S ATTACK

3) BLOODY FOOTPRINT

4) ROBO JUSTICE COSTUME

5) LAB LOCKERS

6) PHYSICS LAB CARD RECORD

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

. Doryo: "Your accusation is complete bullshit!"

. Doryo: "Emnei's guilty, not me!"

. Doryo: "If you take even a single look..."

. Doryo: "at the lab lockers..."

. Doryo: "the card record, and the message to Renjiro..."

. Doryo: "It's obvious I'm not responsible for what happened to Renjiro!"

ADVANCE

Akina: "But none of the evidence you brought up is conclusive. I think it's more likely that you stole his monopod and keycard and used it to frame him for the crime! Which is perfectly possible due to you never arriving at the dining hall!"

. Doryo: "But that's only if Emnei is not the culprit..."

. Doryo: "which he clearly fucking is!"

. Doryo: "Not to mention..."

. Doryo: "*the attacker was wearing a costume*, correct?"

. Doryo: "That means there's no way..."

. Doryo: "to conclude the killer's identity!"

. Doryo: "*Anyone could have worn that costume*..."

. Doryo: "so stop accusing me without any evidence!"

Doryo still won't stop fighting. In that case, all I need to prove is that's not possible for Emnei to be the one who attacked Renjiro! If I do that, his entire case falls apart!"

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Akina: "I'LL CUT THROUGH YOUR WORDS!!!"

BREAK

Akina: "Actually, not everybody could have worn that costume! Isn't that correct, Emnei?"

Emnei: "Yeah. The costume that was stolen from my lab can is a large size, which means it only fits people that are 5'11 to 6'1 in height."

Akina: "Emnei, you're 5'9, correct?"

Emnei: "Yeah."

Akina: "In that case, it's impossible for Emnei to wear that costume! Which means he didn't attack Renjiro! As such, all the suspicion falls on you Doryo! Also, you knew this information better than me, Emnei! Why didn't you say anything!?"

Emnei: "I wouldn't think Doryo would listen to anything I have to say after being so dead-set on me being the responsible party."

Akina: "Fair enough. So, what do you have to say to this, Doryo!"

Doryo: ".........Fine! Yes, I tried to kill Renjiro! But for some reason he ended up surviving! I knew I should have stabbed him a second time!"

Emnei: "Wow, that didn't take long. You almost just confessed immediately."

Chimon: "I knew you were the culprit once I saw how clumsy the 'murder' was. Nobody else would be stupid enough to leave a fucking footprint laying around. Not to mention how you didn't even check to see if Renjiro actually died before shoving his body into a locker. God, what a fool."

Akina: "Good thing you were smart enough to wear a costume, and the footprint was transferred. Otherwise, you would be found out immediately."

Doryo: "Well, fuck you all! Just so you know, it took me like a whole entire day to come up with my amazing plan!"

Chimon: "Did your mom drop you on the head as a kid? Because it's baffling me how stupid you are."

Renjiro: "But why the hell did you try to kill me, Doryo!?"

Doryo: "Do my reasons really even matter right now? We're trying to find out who killed Chiyo, correct? I had nothing to do with her murder."

That's true. We have been so sidetracked talking about Renjiro's attack that we haven't focused on what's important. Who actually killed Chiyo?

CLASS TRIAL INTERMISSION

CLASS TRIAL RESUME

Gyo Shin: "What the fuck do we talk about now!? I'm sick of this class trial! I don't want to talk about my friend's death anymore! Can't we just vote for Nori and be done with this already!"

Nori: "No! I'm not the culprit, I swear! If you guys vote for me, we're all going to die!"

Chimon: "Can you please stop Gyo Shin? I get how you feel, but we have to be careful during the class trials."

Gyo Shin: "Now matter what you guys say, I'm still convinced that Nori is the culprit."

Emnei: "Let's stop talking about Nori for now. Let's get back to what we were originally talking about before we got sidetracked by Renjiro's attack."

Doryo: "What were we originally talking about again?"

Akina: "We were talking about how Chiyo actually died in the Physics Lab and that her cause of death actually resulted from the body burns on her body."

Tetsu: "But what even caused those body burns in the first place?"

That's a good question. What caused the body burns on her corpse? Maybe it's related to the actual crime scene.

HANGMAN'S GAMBIT START

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Question: What is Chiyo's true cause of death?

AVILABLE LETTERS: C L N O U I T K B R E

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CORRECT ANSWER: ELECTROCUTION

Akina: "I see now!"

COMPLETE

Akina: "Chiyo's true cause of death was electrocution! That is what caused the body burns all over her body!"

Tetsu: "Oh yeah! There's an electric orb right in the Physics Lab! It can be turned off and on with a simple switch! They must have used that to kill Chiyo!"

Chimon: "Hold on. That may be true, but the electric orb in that lab's electricity is rather sporadic. It goes all over the room. Would it have really hit Chiyo enough to kill her? It might shock her a few times, but that's about it. Not to mention, if Chiyo somehow woke up during this ideal, she could have just hidden inside the faraday cage, protecting her from the electricity."

Tetsu: "Yeah. While the electromagnetic fields created from the electric orb are pretty high in voltage, they usually aren't fatal unless they hit the person directly for at least a minute."

Doryo: "How the hell do you know all this shit!?"

Tetsu: "I took an advanced physics class in high school. I also read the warning signs in the Physics Lab. It told me all the exact specifications about the electromagnetic fields created from the electric orb."

Sashi: "Not to mention, isn't the electricity supposed to direct towards the faraday cage? Are they saying they just placed Chiyo's body on the side of it?"

Akina: "Actually, there was a much easier way for the killer to electrocute Chiyo without any complications."

Renora: "Really? Do tell."

How did the killer electrocute Chiyo in a way that's both fatal and won't result in any complications? Maybe they used that object in the Physics Lab!

HANGMAN'S GAMBIT START

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Question: What did the killer use to electrocute Chiyo?

AVILABLE LETTERS: G E L T D O B R I G N H

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Akina: "I see now!"

COMPLETE

Akina: "They simply just used the lightning rod in the Physics Lab to direct all the electricity towards Chiyo!"

Yemon: "So did they just place Chiyo's body next to the lightning rod?"

Akina: "No. More specifically, they used something to stick her body to the lightning rod, making sure she can't move."

Question: What was used to stick Chiyo's body to the lightning rod?

SELECT TRUTH BULLET

CORRECT ANSWER: DUCT TAPE

Akina: "That's it."

Akina: "While I was investigating the Physics Lab, I noticed that there were large amounts of duct tape in the trash can. At the time, I didn't know what it was used for. But now that I'm thinking about it, it was definitely used to wrap Chiyo's body around the lightning rod!"

Emnei: "I see! At first, this case kind of confused me. There was a lot of evidence that I couldn't quite put together. But now that I'm thinking about it, I think I know what happened. First, the killer moved Chiyo's body to the Physics Lab after drugging everyone's food. Then they taped her body to the lightning rod. Next, they turned on the electric orb, and all the electromagnetic waves were directed towards Chiyo, killing her. Next, they...."

Akina: "Emnei, can you not? We're supposed to do that at the end, remember? We still don't even know who the killer is yet."

Emnei: "Oh, sorry."

Renora: "I think I'm starting to get what happened as well. But knowing how the murder occurred is useless if we still don't know who the killer is!"

Gyo Shin: "I say we vote for Nori!"

Chimon: "I say you shut the fuck up."

Nori: "But seriously. What do we do?"

Akina: "I think we should discuss this one more time. If any of you have any leads, you must speak up. Any clues we have, no matter how minimal, can be really helpful."

Yemon: "Alright. I don't know what we're going to talk about, but I guess we need to have another debate."

NON-STOP DEBATE BEGIN

1) KEYCARDS

2) NORI'S SECRET

3) CHIMON'S ATTACK

4) LAB LOCKERS

5) DRUGGED FOOD

6) PHYSICS LAB CARD RECORD

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

. Nori: "I know we need to figure out who did it..."

. Nori: "but I have no idea where to even start."

. Sashi: "Does anybody have ^any conclusive evidence^?"

. Sashi: "Something that will prove who did it?"

. Chimon: "I certainly can't think of any."

. Renora: "Did ^someone perhaps witness something^?"

. Yemon: "Was ^anybody acting suspicious lately^?"

. Gyo Shin: "I say we just vote for Nori."

. Gyo Shin: "She's ^clearly the culprit^!"

. Nori: "No! We should do anything but that!"

We may know how the killer killed Chiyo, but we still don't know who did it. In that case, maybe my evidence will lead the way?"

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Akina: "I agree!"

BREAK

Akina: "Actually, someone did witness something! Chimon, before you were knocked out, you saw someone in the Physics Lab, correct?"

Nori: "Wait, you saw the culprit!?"

Chimon: "Maybe? Because the person I saw wasn't the one who attacked me. There must have been two people at the scene."

Emnei: "Wait, does that mean there was an accomplice?"

Chimon: "I assume so."

Doryo: "Who? Who did you see?"

Chimon: "I saw.... Yemon."

Yemon: "What!?"

Tetsu: "Why did you wait until now to mention this!?"

Chimon: "Because I wasn't sure whether or not they were actually the culprit. I didn't want to cause undue suspicion without any proof. That kind of stuff can result in an incorrect verdict, you know. Besides, I already told Akina about it."

Renjiro: "Yemon! Please explain this! This has to be a lie, right!?"

Yemon: "It is a lie! Chimon lied about the whole thing! I was never at the Physics Lab!"

Chimon: "Why would I lie about a thing like that!?"

Yemon: "Because you hate me now! Don't tell me you forgot the argument we had the other day!"

Chimon: "You started the whole thing!"

Tetsu: "Everyone, please stop fighting!"

Renora: "I don't know. Regardless of his opinion of you, I highly doubt Chimon would lie about something like that when it can easily lead to someone making the wrong choice, causing everyone to get executed, including him. Not to mention, if he lied on purpose, I doubt he would wait until now to tell us this."

Chimon: "Exactly! Why would I lie when I was literally attacked by the culprit!?"

Yemon: "Still, this is nothing but hearsay! There's no evidence that proves I was in the Physics Lab! It's all based on meaningless words!"

Renjiro: "He's absolutely correct! Yemon wouldn't cooperate in a murder plan! He's not that kind of person! Chimon just lied about it!"

Nori: "I want to believe in Yemon, but I also don't think Chimon would lie about a thing like that! This is really fucking difficult!"

If I don't put an end to this, people are just going to keep going in a circle. I better show the truth right here and now!

NON-STOP DEBATE START

TRUTH BULLETS:

1) CHIMON'S ATTACK

2) BLOODY HAMMER

3) DUCT TAPE

4) ROPE FOR HANGING

5) KITCHEN KNIFE

6) PHYSICS LAB CARD RECORD

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

. Yemon: "I was never in the Physics Lab!"

. Yemon: "^Chimon lied about the whole thing^!"

. Chimon: "Why would I lie about a thing like that!?"

. Yemon: "Because you hate me!"

. Chimon: "That's not evidence!"

. Chimon: "I have no reason to lie!"

. Yemon: "But there's *no evidence that supports your claim*..."

. Yemon: "so you are clearly lying about the whole thing!"

. Chimon: "Why would I lie at a time like this!?"

. Yemon: "I don't know!"

. Yemon: "All I know that all the evidence is hearsay!"

. Renjiro: "That's completely correct!"

. Renjiro: "^Yemon has nothing to do with this^!"

. Renjiro: "He would never cooperate in a murder plan!"

. Tetsu: "Can you all calm down and stop fighting!?"

Is Chimon telling the truth? Regardless of whether it makes sense for him to lie, what does the evidence say?

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Akina: "NO, THAT'S WRONG!!!"

BREAK

Akina: "Actually, there is evidence to support Chimon's claim! He wasn't lying at all!"

Yemon: "Oh really? What kind of evidence?"

Akina: "If you take one look at the Physics Lab Card Record, it's clear that you have entered the Physics Lab. Listed on the records is your name, clear for everyone to see!"

Renjiro: "That doesn't mean anything! Someone probably just stole his keycard and used it in order to frame him!"

Akina: "Really? So Yemon, was your keycard stolen?"

Yemon: "Of course it was!"

Akina: "Then why didn't you mention this before? Nori and Emnei both claimed their keycards were stolen before the class trial even began. Why did you wait until now to mention it?"

Yemon: "I just forgot about it until the topic came up!"

Emnei: "That's pretty unbelievable. Not to mention, how could your keycard have even been stolen in the first place? You never went to the dining hall, so it's not like someone took it while you fell asleep."

Gyo Shin: "Not to mention, that's really suspicious! Why didn't you arrive at the dining hall today!? Usually, you're the first one to arrive!"

Yemon: "Is there a problem with me not arriving!? I just wasn't feeling well, okay!?"

Chimon: "Yemon, when was your keycard stolen? And how was it stolen?"

Yemon: "I noticed it was missing during the investigation. I must have dropped it somewhere."

Gyo Shin: "Oh, how convenient. You just happened to drop your keycard for someone to pick it up and use it against you! That settles it! You killed Chiyo, didn't you!?"

Yemon: "No! I had nothing to do with her murder, I swear!"

Renjiro: "Of course you didn't! None of the evidence you shown is conclusive! All of it is circumstantial! Yemon had nothing to do with this! Besides, if Chimon's claim is correct, that must mean that an accomplice was involved in this case! But what reason would an accomplice have for getting involved? There's only one blackened in each and every case! Monokuma said it himself!"

Monokuma: "Yep! Each killer is allowed to have as many accomplices as they want, but only the one who actually committed the murder will get to graduate!"

Renjiro: "Then why would an accomplice get involved?"

Akina: "I'm actually not sure about that. But an accomplice was definitely involved in this case, I'm sure of it!"

Renjiro: "Then show me the proof! Show me the evidence that proves an accomplice was involved in this case!"

Emnei: "Doesn't the Physics Lab Card Record already prove that?"

Renjiro: "That's just a concidence! Yemon just met with the killer and left before they could actually complete their plan!"

Akina: "If you want the goddamn proof, I'll fucking show it to you then!"

Question: What proves an accomplice was involved in Chiyo's murder?

SELECT TRUTH BULLET

CORRECT ANSWER: BIOLOGY LAB CARD RECORD

Akina: "That's it."

Akina: "If you take a look at the Biology Lab card record, you can clearly see a record showing Chiyo entering at 12:00 PM but isn't that strange? Chiyo should have been asleep or in the Physics Lab at that time."

Tetsu: "Then the killer must have just used her keycard to open the door and throw it in, leaving the record."

Akina: "The killer you say? But shouldn't the killer have been in the Physics Lab at the time, setting up the lightning rod to electrify Chiyo?"

Nori: "Couldn't the killer just have thrown the keycard in, then immediately went back to the Physics Lab? The labs are right next to each other, so it could easily be done in less than two minutes."

Tetsu: "If that was the case, the record would have shown the killer entering and leaving two times, but it only shows each person entering only once."

Nori: "Couldn't the killer have just left the door open?"

Monokuma: "Of course not! Bypassing security is against the rules! You have to use your keycard before entering the labs at all times!"

Nori: "Then I guess I was wrong then."

Akina: "You happy now! Here's the evidence that an accomplice was involved in this case! What do you have to say to this, Yemon!?"

Yemon: "............. Fine. I admit it. I was involved in this case."

Renjiro: "What the hell are you saying bro!? Why would you do something like that!?"

Yemon: "I can't say."

Chimon: "You can't or don't want to say?"

Yemon: "..............."

Gyo Shin: "Forget about his reasons! He just admitted it! That means we can vote for him, no problem, correct?"

Yemon: "No. While I am an accomplice, I'm not directly responsible for Chiyo's death."

Doryo: "Then who is? You must know who the blackened is! You worked with them! Just say the fucking name so we can be done with this shitty ass trial!"

Yemon: "I can't."

Doryo: "Why the fuck not!?"

Yemon: "This killer has something against me. If I reveal their name..."

Nori: "What happens if you reveal their name!?"

Yemon: "I've already said too much. It's best if you don't further press the issue."

Chimon: "Are you being blackmailed by the culprit?"

Yemon: ".........Yes."

Renjiro: "Then it's not your fault, Yemon! You were forced to do this! You didn't actually want to cooperate with them, right!?"

Yemon: "................"

Renjiro: "Why are you being so silent!? I want answers, dammit!"

For a second, it looked like Renjiro was about to cry, but he quickly wiped his eyes.

Sashi: "Isn't there anything you can tell us?"

Yemon: "I will say this. As soon as I threw Chiyo's keycard into the Biology Lab, I ran away. I abandoned the plan. I was supposed to meet with the culprit back in the Physics Lab, but I never did it. I figured this was the best time to stop cooperating with them."

Gyo Shin: "You say that, but do we really expect us to believe you?"

Renora: "It's still very possible for you to be the culprit. Just because you confessed to being an accomplice, doesn't mean you are completely off the hook."

Akina: "Then let's try to figure out whether or not Yemon is telling the truth."

NON-STOP DEBATE START

TRUTH BULLETS:

1) PHYSICS LAB CARD RECORD

2) YEMON'S SUSPICIOUS BEHAVIOR

3) KEY CARDS

4) BIOLOGY LAB CARD RECORD

5) LAB LOCKERS

6) CHIMON'S ATTACK

7) BLOODY HAMMER

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

. Yemon: "I admit I was involved in the crime."

. Yemon: "However, *I am not the culprit*."

. Gyo Shin: "Why should we believe you!?"

. Yemon: "Because *I never took part in the actual murder*."

. Yemon: "Right after I threw Chiyo's keycard..."

. Yemon: "into the Physics Lab..."

. Yemon: "I went back to my own dorm room."

. Yemon: "The real killer was getting ready..."

. Yemon: "to *electrocute Chiyo at the time*..."

. Yemon: "so I have nothing to do with that."

. Emnei: "If Yemon actually abandoned the plan..."

. Emnei: "then that proves he didn't commit the murder."

. Renora: "But there's *no evidence to suggest that*..."

. Renora: "so all we are doing is relying on his words."

. Gyo Shin: "You're the killer Yemon!"

. Yemon: "I already told you, I'm not the actual murderer!"

There's no doubt that Yemon is an accomplice in this case, but is he the actual killer? Is there any way to tell?

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Akina: "NO, THAT'S WRONG!!!"

BREAK

Akina: "That's wrong, Renora. There is evidence to support Yemon's claim."

Renora: "Oh. Really?"

Akina: "Yes. If you take a look at the Biology Lab Card Record, you'll see that while Nori entered the area, Yemon never did."

Chimon: "So what? Maybe an accomplice wasn't needed for that part of the plan."

Akina: "Still, it's weird. To blackmail an accomplice until helping you out, then suddenly abandon them halfway through. You would expect the killer to want an accomplice to help them with the entire plan, not just part of it. Especially regarding the hanging of the body. That's much easier to do with two people."

Yemon: "Yeah. I was supposed to head right back to the Physics Lab, but I didn't."

Gyo Shin: "I don't see how that proves anything! I'm still convinced Yemon is the fucking murderer! He killed my friend!"

Chimon: "Sorry, but I don't really see that as evidence. Sure, it may be unusual for the killer to abandon their accomplice, but it doesn't mean it's literally impossible."

Renora: "I agree. Right now, I'm not fully convinced that Yemon is innocent."

Sashi: "I'm going to agree with Akina on this one. The evidence she shows does back up her claim."

Nori: "I'm going to defend Yemon, because I refuse to believe he's responsible for the murder! I think he was forced to participate against his will!"

Monokuma: "LOOKS LIKE IT'S TIME FOR A DEBATE!!!"

Monokuma: "Oh boy! It's time for my favorite part of the class trials! Since all of your opinions seem so evenly split, we need a debate to figure out which opinion is the correct one!"

Question: What is Yemon's role in this case?

He's the killer: Chimon, Gyo Shin, Tetsu, Renora, and Doryo

He's just an accomplice: Akina, Yemon, Sashi, Emnei, Nori, and Renjiro

Key Words:

Nori: Impossible

Renjiro: Witnessed

Yemon: Accomplices

Emnei: Evidence

Sashi: Lab

Akina: Keycard

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DEBATE SCRUM START

Gyo Shin: "Yemon's the killer! Chimon literally witnessed him in the Physics Lab!"

Akina: "Renjiro!"

Renjiro: "But Chimon said that someone else attacked him, not Yemon. Couldn't they be the killer?"

Chimon: "Just because it's strange for the killer to abandon their accomplice, doesn't mean it's literally impossible."

Akina: "Nori!"

Nori: "But isn't it more likely that Yemon just left on his own? Unless there's evidence to suggest otherwise, we should believe the most likely answer."

Doryo: "There's no reason for accomplices to work together, so it's obvious that Yemon is the only person involved!"

Akina: "Yemon!"

Yemon: "I was blackmailed by the killer to take part in their crime. I didn't work with them by choice."

Renora: "There's no evidence that suggests that Yemon is telling the truth."

Akina: "Emnei!"

Emnei: "Yes there is. The Biology Lab Card Record shows that Yemon did indeed abandon the plan."

Tetsu: "Couldn't Yemon have just returned to the Physics Lab after tossing Chiyo's keycard into the Biology Lab?"

Akina: "Sashi!"

Sashi: "If that was the case, another record of Yemon entering would have shown up in the Physics Lab Card Record."

Gyo Shin: "Couldn't someone else other than Yemon have used Chiyo's keycard?"

Akina: "Why!? Are you telling me there was a third accomplice!? There's no evidence that even fucking suggests that!"

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FULL COUNTER

Akina, Sashi, Emnei, Renjiro, Yemon, and Nori: "THIS IS OUR ANSWER!!!"

BREAK

Akina: "You see now? It's simply inconceivable to think Yemon is the killer in this case."

Chimon: "Yeah. I should have thought about it more."

Akina: "It's fine. You did your best."

Renora: "Okay, so now we know Yemon's innocent, but what do we do now? We still don't know who the culprit is!"

Gyo Shin: "Well I still think it's Nori. All the evidence still points to her, and nobody has yet to prove her innocence."

Akina: "Fine then! I'll show you a piece of evidence that shows who the real killer's identity is! Then we'll know for sure!"

Question: What can be used to find out the true culprit's identity?

SELECT TRUTH BULLET

CORRECT ANSWER: ROPE FOR HANGING

Akina: "That's it."

Akina: "The rope that was used to hang Chiyo's body! That's the evidence that will prove the culprit's identity once and for all!"

Nori: "A rope? How the fuck does a rope prove anything?"

Renjiro: "I really don't see your point, Akina."

Okay, so I know that the rope for hanging can prove who the blackened is. But why do I believe that? How do I use this evidence to find out the culprit's identity?

PSYCHE TAXI START

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Question 1: How high up is the Biology Lab hook compared to the top of the stepladder?

A) 7 feet

B) 8 feet

C) 9 feet

CORRECT ANSWER: B

Question 2: Why is the height of the hook important?

A) It determines whether the killer was able to reach the hook

B) It determines whether Chiyo was hanged or not

C) It determines the rope's length

CORRECT ANSWER: A

Question: How do we find out whether the culprit could reach the hook?

A) By measuring their height

B) By measuring their arm length

C) By measuring how high up they could reach

CORRECT ANSWER: C

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Akina: "It connects!"

COMPLETE

Akina: "What's significant about this rope is that it hangs from a hook that is eight feet above the top of the stepladder. Now the question is: Could the killer reach that high up?"

Yemon: "I don't know. How are we supposed to figure that out?"

Akina: "By doing this."

I grabbed out the measuring tape that I hid behind me and showed it to everyone.

Doryo: "Measuring tape?"

Akina: "I'm going to use this to determine how high the killer could reach. But before I do this little experiment, I need to ask Monokuma. Is it okay if we leave our stands for a bit in order to test something out? This is important in order to determine the killer's identity!"

Monokuma: "Okay, but only if it really determines who the blackened is. If it turns out to be irrelevant to the case at hand, then I'm going to be very upset!"

Akina: "Don't worry. I'm sure this will meet your expectations. Okay, so the main suspect in this case is Nori. Gyo Shin, you wanted me to prove her innocence, correct?"

Gyo Shin: "Yes. I'm not going to believe she's innocent until you prove it!"

Akina: "Alright then. Nori stand in the middle of the trial grounds. Then try to lift up your arms as high as you possibly can, even if you have to lift your feet to do so."

Nori: "I don't see why, but I'll cooperate."

Nori left her stand and stood right in the middle. She then rose her arms as high as she possibly could, lifting her feet in the process."

Akina: "Alright then. Stay in that position for a minute."

Nori: "I hope this doesn't last too long. This position is really uncomfortable."

I took out my measuring tape and measured the height between her fingers and her toes. The height came out to be around 7'4 in height.

Akina: "7'4. Norim your height is 5'4, correct?"

Nori: "Yeah."

Akina: "Then you are able to reach around two feet above your height. But the hook is eight feet above the stepladder."

Emnei: "Oh! Then it's impossible for Nori to be the culprit because she couldn't possibly have hung the rope from the hook, as she couldn't even reach it!"

Akina: "If we use this system of measurement, then people can reach roughly around two feet above their actual height. In that case, there's only one possible person that's tall enough to be able to reach the hook. That person is the true culprit of this case!"

Tetsu: "Wait, you know who the killer is!?"

Akina: "Yes, and I'm going to reveal their identity right here and now."

SELECT SOMEONE

CORRECT ANSWER: RENORA SHINSATO

Akina: "It has to be you."

DECIDE

Akina: "Renora, I just have one question. What's your height!?"

Renora: "Huh? Why are you asking this question all of the sudden?"

Akina: "Why are you so hesitant to answer? Is it perhaps because it makes you look guilty?"

Renora: "What? I don't even know what you're talking about. What do you mean, it makes me look guilty?"

Akina: "Well, if you're not going to answer, then I will! Your height is 6'1! Correct?"

Renora: "............"

Akina: "Did you hear me? I asked you a question. Is your height 6'1?"

Renora: ".......... Yes."

Nori: "Akina. You aren't possibly suggesting what I think you are."

Akina: "I am. Renora just said her height was 6'1. In that case, shouldn't you have been able to reach a hook that's eight feet tall?"

Nori: "Hold on! Just because Nori could reach two feet above her, doesn't mean that Renora can as well!? People have different arm lengths! Maybe she has really short arms!"

Akina: "That's no problem then. Let's just do the same experiment on her right here and now. You have no problem with that, right Renora?"

Renora: "....... Fine."

I did the same experiment with Renora, and the total height turned out to be 8'3! Her arms are even longer than Nori's!

Akina: "Short arms, huh? In that case, your arms must be tiny, Nori. Because the height turned out to be 8'3! That's 2'2 feet more than her actual height."

Nori: "Hold on! That may be so, but that doesn't mean she's the culprit!"

Akina: "Then who is? You were the main suspect, and you turned out to be innocent based on the exact same experiment. Are you going to start claiming it's Yemon now? We also had already proven his innocence."

Renjiro: "Wait a second! Renora, being the culprit? I could never believe that!"

Renora: "Why? Why? Why doesn't anybody believe me!? Ever since I've formed this whole government, I've had so many false accusations thrown against me! I just wanted to help everyone! I wanted to prevent another person from dying, and now you're claiming I killed Chiyo! Do you really hate me that much!?"

Renora suddenly started crying. Even though she was likely faking it, everyone suddenly came to her side.

Emnei: "I'm sorry Akina, but even I have a hard time believing that. Renora is the culprit? After everything she's done for us!?"

Sashi: "I've been telling you guys all this time! She's been lying and manipulating you all! She doesn't actually care about us as human beings!"

Gyo Shin: "Shut up, you fucking murderer!"

Akina: "Listen, regardless of what we personally believe, our lives are on the line. We have to make the right choice, no matter how difficult it is. Right now, Renora's the only suspect. Her height matches up perfectly."

Renjiro: "No she isn't! She's not the only one who's tall enough to reach the hook!"

Akina: "Yeah, but everyone else who is tall enough to reach the hook couldn't possibly be the culprit. First of all, you were attacked by Doryo and shoved into a locker, so you couldn't possibly have killed Chiyo. Also, we just now proved that Yemon isn't responsible for this either. Doryo couldn't be the culprit either because he was in the gym around the time the killer was in the Physics Lab. In that case, there's no other suspects. It has to be Renora!"

Renora: "I'm not the culprit! Why doesn't anybody understand!?"

Nori: "Don't worry Renora. I have your back. I understand."

Akina: "If you say you aren't the culprit, then prove it! Give me a reason to believe your claim!"

Renora: "E-Evidence. Fine, I'll give you your evidence! Then you will realize that I'm truly innocent!"

NON-STOP DEBATE START

TRUTH BULLETS:

1) DRUGGED FOOD

2) BLOODY HAMMER

3) ANTIBIOTICS

4) NORI'S SECRET

5) YEMON'S SUSPCIOUS BEHAVIOR

6) LAB LOCKERS

7) ROPE USED FOR HANGING

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

. Renora: "I'm not the culprit!"

. Sashi: "Then give us a reason to think so!"

. Renora: "Fine, I'll show you the e-evidence!"

. Renora: "First of all, I have an alibi."

. Emnei: "An alibi?"

. Renora: "Don't you remember?"

. Renora: "*I ate from the drugged food*..."

. Renora: "and *instantly fell asleep*!"

. Gyo Shin: "I did see that. She was clearly knocked out."

. Renora: "If I was *asleep the whole time*..."

. Renora: "how could I have possibly murdered Chiyo!?"

. Renora: "So stop accusing me already!"

. Nori: "Renora is right!"

. Nori: "She didn't kill anyone!"

. Nori: "I know that for a fact!"

Renora claims she has an alibi, but is that really true?

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Akina: "NO, THAT'S WRONG!!!"

BREAK

Akina: "While there was no doubt that you were asleep in the dining hall, were you really unconscious the whole time?"

Nori: "What are you talking about!? She woke up with the rest of us! Of course, she was asleep the whole time!"

Akina: "Maybe she just ran in and pretended to wake up with you all?"

Renora: "What are you talking about? As long as I ate from the drugged food, there's no doubt that I was asleep the whole time!"

Akina: "Not if your food was laced with Type C sleeping pills. More specifically, Monokuma's Special Sleeping Pills."

Chimon: "While Type A pills last for five hours, Type C pills last only for three hours."

Tetsu: "Not to mention, a Type C pill was taken specifically from the pharmacy. That must mean it had to have been used in the murder somehow. I bet the killer purposely laced their own food with Type C pills so that they fell asleep with everyone else but woke up earlier than them. After they finished committing the murder, all they had to do is run back to the dining hall and pretend to wake up with everyone else. Thus, they were able to convince everyone that they had an alibi, when they really didn't."

Akina: "Without an alibi, it's clear that you are the culprit..."

Renora: "I FIGURE THAT YOUR LOGIC IS WRONG!!!"

Renora: "While I do admit that my alibi isn't as strong as I thought, it doesn't prove I'm the culprit! In the end, you have not but a single shred to support your heartless claims!"

REBUTTAL SHOWDOWN START

TRUTH BULLETS:

1) MONOKUMA FILE 5

2) BLOODY FOOTPRINT

3) STEPLADDER

4) KITCHEN KNIFE

5) BLOODY HAMMER

6) BLOODY PAPER

7) DUCT TAPE

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

. Renora: "No matter what you claim..."

. Renora: "I am not the culprit."

. Renora: "You don't *even have any evidence*."

. Renora: "So please stop with your mindless accusations!"

. Renora: "I didn't do anything wrong!"

. Renora: "Why don't you understand!?"

ADVANCE

Akina: "No evidence? But I literally just provided evidence. The Type C pill that was stolen, how do you explain that?

. Renora: "Just because a Type C pill was stolen..."

. Renora: "doesn't mean it was used!"

. Renora: "You have *no evidence that proves otherwise*!"

. Renora: "Also, what makes you so sure my food was drugged!?"

. Renora: "*Anyone's plate could have been drugged with a Type C pill*!"

. Renora: "So *I'm not the only suspect*!"

. Renora: "Everyone in the dining hall is suspicious!"

Renora is really insistent that she's innocent. But I'm not convinced. If she needs evidence, then I'll show it to her right now!

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Akina: "I'LL CUT THROUGH YOUR WORDS!!!"

BREAK

Akina: "You're wrong, there is evidence! And I'm not just talking about the rope."

Renora: "Evidence? What kind of evidence?"

Akina: "In Nori's locker, there was a bloody hammer. Considering Chimon was shoved in this exact locker, there's no doubt that this was used to knock him out."

Renora: "What's your point?"

Akina: "I'd like to ask, where the hell did this hammer come from? And don't try to tell me it was in the Physics Lab from the start, because it obviously wasn't!"

Renora: "......!"

Emnei: "Oh yeah. All weapons like this should have been stored in the armory, correct? Weren't you supposed to watch over the armory? How did you not realize a hammer was missing from it!?'

Renora: "We only do item checks every night, so someone must have taken it this morning or during nighttime. It wasn't time to do an item check yet."

Chimon: "Like I would believe such an obvious lie. If a murder had happened, the first thing you would do is check the armory. As our leader, you're supposed to check things like that! But you never mentioned anything like that. You acted like nothing was taken from the armory, nor the warehouse."

Tetsu: "If something was stolen from the armory, obviously more suspicion is placed on those in governmental positions, as they are 'legally' allowed to."

Renora: "Still, that doesn't prove I was the one who took the hammer! Yemon could have easily taken it! He had the position and the opportunity!"

Sashi: "But all the evidence still points towards you. For example, the rope. How do you explain that? You're the only one who could have possibly reached it!"

Renora: "That's enough!"

Sashi: "Huh?'

Renora: "I didn't kill anyone, yet you all keep falsely accusing me. Why do you people hate me so much!?"

Emnei: "It's not that we hate you, it's just that the evidence points towards you as the culprit. We have to do this, as everyone's lives are on the line."

Renora: "The fact that everyone's lives are on the line is exactly why you shouldn't do this! If you vote for me, everyone here will die. And I absolutely cannot let that happen. Because I made a promise. I promised that I would not let there be another victim. And I failed to fulfill that promise. Chiyo ended up dying anyways. I am so sorry you all had to deal with this situation."

Renjiro: "It's okay Renora. It's not your fault."

Renora: "It absolutely is my fault. I took the leadership position specifically because I love you all and don't want to see anymore of you die, yet my efforts were futile. I was unable to prevent Chiyo's murder. And now, you all are accusing me of killing her! I just wanted to help everyone! I have been accused of being a liar, a manipulator, a control freak, and even a dictator! I tried to create a government specifically to help you all and look where it led to! Because of my attempts to help you all, everyone in here is going to die!"

Nori: "Don't cry Renora. I still believe in you. I'm so sorry you had to deal with all of this."

Chimon: "If you really aren't the culprit, then defend yourself. Whining about it isn't going to do anything."

Renora: "Alright then. Akina, the only reason you suspect me is because I happened to be tall enough to reach the hook to place the rope on. But I'm not the only tall person. Yemon should be tall enough to reach it."

Yemon: "But we literally just proved that I had already abandoned the plan at that point!"

Renora: "Then how about this? Maybe the rope was already set up beforehand. That means Yemon could easily have tied the rope to the hook."

Akina: "I guess, but why would the rope be set up beforehand? It's not like the killer could have predicted Yemon would run away like that."

Renora: "Because they wanted to hang the body as fast as possible. Considering they had only two hours to complete their plan due to waking up two hours before anyone else, they had to hurry. In order to make it back to the dining hall as soon as possible, they set up the rope beforehand so all they had to do was stab and hang the body. That makes sense, does it not?"

Akina: "Yeah, I guess."

Renora: "Then will you finally let go of your mindless accusation."

Akina: "No, because you're still the culprit."

Nori: "What!? Why do you keep accusing her!? You have no evidence! The only evidence you did have has been contradicted!"

Akina: "But there is evidence. Evidence that will settle things once and for all."

Question: What proves that Renora is the culprit?

SELECT TRUTH BULLET

CORRECT ANSWER: NORI'S SECRET

Akina: "That's it."

Akina: "On Chiyo's monopad, Nori's secret was listed."

Nori: "So the fuck what if my secret was on her monopad!? Doesn't that implicate me rather than Renora?"

Akina: "Not if your secret wasn't originally there to begin with. I'm thinking that your secret must have been swapped!"

Nori: "Swapped!? So, the fuck what!? Explain to me how this evidence is relevant! Or else I will never accept your accusations of Renora!"

This is the final stretch. Renora is definitely the culprit. All I have to do now is convince Nori this!

ARGUMENT ARMAMENT START

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PHASE 1:

"Renora didn't kill anyone!"

"I've known her the entire time I've been here..."

"so, I know what kind of person she is!"

"And she's definitely not the kind of person..."

"to kill somebody in cold blood!!!"

"So, stop accusing her!"

PHASE 2:

"Why won't you stop!?"

"Renora hasn't done anything wrong!"

"I know her better than you..."

"so stop talking shit about her!!!"

"You don't even have any evidence!"

"So you have no reason to keep accusing her!"

"Do you really hate her that much!?!"

PHASE 3:

"Don't you see her crying right now!?"

"This is how far your accusations are hurting her!"

"Or are you really that heartless!"

"I thought you were my fucking friend!!!"

"I'm tired of everyone accusing her!"

"Calling her a manipulator, a liar..."

"a control freak, and even a dictator!"

"Can't you see how much she actually cares about everyone!?!"

FINAL BLOW!

"Why the fuck does it matter if my secret was swapped!?!"

W: SECRET

A: HAD

S: RENORA'S

D: CHIYO

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHIYO HAD RENORA'S SECRET

Akina: "It ends here!"

Nori: "AHHHHHHHH!"

BREAK

Akina: "The reason your secret was swapped was because Chiyo originally had Renora's secret!"

Nori: "What!? Why the fuck do you think that!?"

Akina: "Because otherwise there's no reason for Renora to kill Chiyo in particular! While she may not have wanted her secret to be revealed, she didn't need to kill Chiyo out of all people because of it. Unless, Chiyo had Renora's secret from the start! Renora killed her so Chiyo wouldn't tell anybody about her secret!"

Nori: "Still, you have no way of knowing if that's actually true!"

Akina: "Not if Renora pulls out her monopod right now. If it shows her own secret, then it's clear that she's Chiyo's killer! So how about it, Renora!?"

Renora: "........."

Nori: "Hold on! How would she even know that Chiyo had her own secret in the first place!? Because I don't recall her asking anyone about it!"

Akina: "She didn't have to ask anyone about it. She found out through a certain piece of evidence."

Question: How did Renora found out that Chiyo had her secret?

SELECT TRUTH BULLET

CORRECT ANSWER: YEMON'S SUSPCICIOUS BEHAVIOR

Akina: "That's it."

Akina: "Yesterday morning, Yemon was acting rather suspicious. He demanded us to give us all our monopods, and after giving a brief look at them, he returned them to us."

Renjiro: "Oh yeah. I remember that. That was rather odd."

Akina: "He must have been commanded by Renora to do this! She wanted him to find out which person had her secret! And that person turned out to be none other than Chiyo! So, Renora. We're still waiting. Show us your monopod!"

Renora: "Fine! But can you please not show anybody my secret. Your words are good enough."

Renora handed her monopod to me, and I opened up the motive section after turning it on. Sure enough, Renora's secret was there. But I didn't bother reading it. I would rather Renora tell us about it herself.

Akina: "Yep. Renora's secret is definitely on here!"

Renora: "I had my own secret from the start!"

Chimon: "Oh really? Weren't the secrets all supposed to be swapped with someone else's, Monokuma?"

Monokuma: "Yep. Nobody was given their own secret, including miss Shinsato. In fact, Renora was originally given Nori's secret."

Renora: "...!"

Akina: "Well I think that proves it once and for all that Renora killed Chiyo!"

Renora: "I didn't kill anyone! Why doesn't anyone understand!?"

Doryo: "Can't you just admit it already!? You aren't fooling anyone!"

Renora: "I refuse, because I'm not the culprit!"

Akina: "Fine then, how about we go through this case one...."

Sashi: "Akina, let me finish it."

Akina: "Really? You sure?"

Sashi: "Yes. You did a wonderful job Akina, but it's my job to wrap things up."

Akina: "Oh, uh, thank you."

Sashi: "You're welcome. Anyways, I'm going to go through this case once again. Through this, your crimes will be revealed, Renora!"

CLOSING ARGUMENT START

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sashi: "This is the truth of the case!"

DANGANRONPA

ACT 1

"This case began when everyone arrived at the dining hall like usual. The people who arrived were me, Akina, Emnei, Gyo Shin, Nori, Chimon, Chiyo, and the culprit of this case. In the middle of making everyone food, Nori left the kitchen for five minutes in order to take a bathroom break. This is exactly the opportunity the killer was waiting for! During this time, they had already taken three types of Monokuma's Special Sleeping Drugs from the infirmary. After making their way into the kitchen, they first planted their own food plate with Type C pills. These pills cause the person who swallows them to fall asleep for three hours. However, they laced everyone else's pills except Nori's with Type A pills, which causes everyone else to fall asleep for five hours. Finally, they laced Nori's food plate with Type B pills, which is the same as Type A pills, except they take longer to go into effect. After they finished drugging everyone's food, they simply returned to the dining hall and waited for Nori to finish her food preparations."

ACT 2

"After Nori finished her food preparations, she served food plates to us all. I imagine the killer must have asked Nori to give her a specific food plate, as otherwise, their own plate could have been given to somebody else. After everyone was given their food, some of us immediately began eating. Me, Emnei, Akina, Gyo Shin, Chiyo, and the killer of this case instantly fell asleep due to the drug's effects. The killer deliberately drugged their own food to make it look like they had an alibi, when in reality, they would wake up before everyone else, giving them an ample opportunity to murder Chiyo. However, Chimon never ate from the food. After seeing everyone fall asleep, he figured that the food was unsafe and he left the kitchen, never taking a single bite. As Nori's plate was laced with Type B pills, she didn't fall asleep right away. This was noticed by Gyo Shin and Akina, who wrongly came to the conclusion that Nori's plate wasn't drugged at all. In reality, it was just an attempt for the killer to frame her for the crime. After everyone else fell asleep, Nori finally fell unconscious."

ACT 3

"While everyone was asleep in the dining hall, there was one person who came to the scene. It was Doryo. After seeing that Emnei was asleep, he decided to reach in his pockets and grab his monopod. Using his monopod, he sent a message to Renjiro asking to meet him in the Physics Lab at 9:25 AM. Since it came from Emnei's monopod, the message came from him. As a result, Renjiro thought Emnei was trying to meet with him. This was crucial to Doryo's plan later on. Before leaving the scene, Doryo grabbed one more thing. The keycard from Emnei's pocket! As Doryo didn't have a keycard, he could easily use this to enter the Physics Lab no problem."

ACT 4

"Before heading to the Physics Lab, Doryo decided to hide his identity with something he had stolen from Emnei's lab earlier, the Robo Justice Costume. He put on this costume in order to make sure that even if any witnesses saw him, he wouldn't be suspected. Next, he used Emnei's keycard on the Physics Lab card reader and entered inside. This left a record showing that Emnei had entered the Physics Lab, when in reality, it was Doryo. Not long after, Renjiro arrived at the requested time. I imagine he must have been pretty shocked to find someone wearing a robot costume. But then something happened that Renjiro didn't expect. Doryo suddenly grabbed a kitchen knife he had stolen earlier, and stabbed Renjiro in the chest with it! Due to the blood loss, Renjiro fell unconscious almost immediately. Thinking he had killed him, Doryo then shoved Renjiro's body into Emnei's locker, further implicating him. Doryo's entire plan was to murder Renjiro and frame Emnei for the crime. The card record, costume, and lab lockers. They all implicated Emnei. However, Doryo had made two crucial mistakes. During the whole ideal, he accidentally left his own footprint in a pool of Renjiro's blood. He either didn't notice this or didn't care, thus leaving a piece of indisputable evidence. But the main mistake Doryo made is that he didn't actually kill Renjiro at all! Renjiro was still alive even after being stabbed in the chest. But Doryo didn't realize this, so he left the scene with I imagine a smug grin after supposedly committing a successful murder."

ACT 5

"At around 11:00 AM, the true killer woke up at the dining hall. As their food plate was laced with Type C sleeping pills, they woke up before everyone else. The culprit then decided to use this opportunity to steal Nori's keycard, as just as Doryo before, they didn't actually have a keycard, so they were going to use her keycard instead to further implicate her. After pocketing Nori's keycard, they grabbed Chiyo's body and moved her out of the dining hall. Chiyo is rather light and the killer was rather strong and athletic, so they were easily able to move her body."

ACT 6

"Next, the killer arrived at the Physics Lab with someone else. This person was Yemon. They had blackmailed him into cooperating with them, serving as their accomplice in this case. Using Nori's keycard, they entered the Physics Lab with Chiyo's body, while Yemon used his own keycard to enter along with them. The killer likely forced Yemon to use his own keycard so people would suspect him. After laying Chiyo's body on the ground, the culprit decided to put their murder into action. However, their plan was interrupted when Chimon suddenly came inside the Physics Lab. Hearing voices inside the Physics Lab, he decided to enter to see what the hell they were doing. Luckily, the killer had already grabbed an emergency weapon beforehand in case of any inconveniences. While Chimon never saw the true killer, he managed to steal a brief look at Yemon before being knocked out by the true killer. After Chimon was knocked out, Yemon and the culprit shoved his body into Nori's locker along with the bloody hammer that the killer used to knock him out."

ACT 7

"Around this time, the killer had given Yemon Chiyo's keycard. Under the culprit's commands, Yemon ran over to the Biology Lab with her keycard. After using her keycard on the card reader, he tossed it inside, thus leaving a record of Chiyo entering but never leaving. However, during this time, Yemon found the perfect opportunity to abandon the killer's plan. Rather than going back to the Physics Lab like the culprit asked, Yemon decided to run back to his room. This meant that the killer now had to commit their plan all on their own. I'm really grateful that he decided to abandon the plan. Not because it's the most morally right thing to do, but because it allowed us to easily convict the killer during the class trial. If it wasn't for Yemon, the killer might have been able to pin the entire crime on him, costing everyone's lives."

ACT 8

"Finally, the killer began to put the murder phase of their plan into action. First, they taped Chiyo's body to the lightning rod in the Physics Lab. Afterwards, they decided to turn on the electric orb within the control room. The electromagnetic waves instantly directed to the lightning rod, killing Chiyo through electrocution. This was Chiyo's true cause of death! Next, the killer removed the duct tape from Chiyo's body and tossed it into the Physics Lab trash bin. During this whole ordeal, they must have noticed Doryo's footprint in Renjiro's bloodstain and voices coming from one of the lab lockers. With this combined with the kitchen knife left on the Physics Lab floor, the culprit was able to come to the conclusion that Doryo tried to kill somebody. Rather than leave the evidence for us to find and figure out the identity of Renjiro's attacker, the killer decided to use in their own plan to frame Doryo. Next, they grabbed a large paper that I imagine they found in the Physics Lab, as otherwise there would have been a card record indicating them leaving the area. They then laid the paper over Renjiro's bloodstain, footprint and all. The paper instantly absorbed the blood but left a bare footprint on it. With some scissors, the killer cut out the footprint. Next, they cut out all the leftover paper into pieces and tossed it into the trash bin along with the duct tape. After grabbing the kitchen knife and the paper footprint along with a rope in the area, they moved Chiyo's body out of the Physics Lab."

ACT 9

"The killer then went to the Biology Lab, once again using Nori's keycard to enter the area. First, they swapped the secret on Chiyo's monopod with their own. They did this because Chiyo had their own secret on her monopod, which would make them suspicious. Not to mention, the killer already had Nori's secret on their monopod, so by swapping the secrets, they were able to implicate her even further. After laying Chiyo's body on the floor, they decided to stab her corpse in the stomach with the kitchen knife, leaving a huge pool of blood! Afterwards, the killer grabbed the paper footprint they cut out earlier and placed it in the pool of blood, leaving Doryo's footprint in the blood. This was done in order to frame him for the crime. Next, the killer cut the bloody, paper footprint into pieces and tossed into the trash bin nearby. They then climbed to the top of the stepladder in the room and hung a rope from a hook on the ceiling. While most people would be too short to reach the hook, the killer was able to easily hang the rope from it, as they were rather tall in stature. Finally, they hung Chiyo's body with the rope. This along with the stabbing further obfuscated the cause of death, making things even more confusing."

ACT 10

"Noticing that they didn't have much time left, they ran towards the dining hall. They then went back into their sleeping position. Finally, they pretended to wake up with everyone else in order to make it look like they had an alibi when they really didn't. This about concludes the killer's plan from top to bottom, and the person who went to all this trouble..."

"Is none other than Renora Shinsato, the Ultimate Figure Skater! The killer can't be anyone else except you!"

COMPLETE

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sashi: "That should cover everything that happened in this case! You can't deny the truth now, Renora, can you!?"

Renora: ".........."

Emnei: "Just admit it already. We already all believe it's you anyways."

Nori: "Is this really true? Did you really kill Chiyo, Renora?"

Renora: "Of course it's not true! I never did anything wrong! Why won't you people believe me!? Am I really that hated!?"

Gyo Shin: "No one is going to fall for that bullshit anymore! You killed my friend! Just admit it already, you fucking bitch!"

Chimon: "Don't even bother. No matter what we do, she's going to be stubborn. Let's just vote already and let Monokuma give the answer. In that case, she will have no choice but to confess."

Monokuma: "Roger that! You all know the rules, right! Vote for who you think the blackened is! The heart-racing excitement as the blackened and the spotless face off! It's... VOTING TIME!!!"

Once again, on the screen were the pictures of all the other students. Without even a single hint of hesitation this time, I pressed Renora's picture and then touched the vote button. After waiting for a bit for everyone else to vote, the screen said "ANNOUCEMENT" and turned black again."

Monokuma: "Puhuhuhu... It seems the voting has finished. Now then, let's see the result."

The tallied votes for everyone was showed on the screen. Next to Renora were ten tallies, while there was a single tally next to Yemon. I imagine Renora did this, because there's no way that even someone like Nori would still believe in her considering the fact that Renora has her own secret, which pretty much gives it away without any doubt. Plus, Nori likes Yemon way too much to easily believe he killed Chiyo, especially since we already proven his innocence. Whether she was actually trying to reach the wrong conclusion or if Renora just voted Yemon out of spite for abandoning her plan, I have no idea.

Monokuma: "Who'll be chosen as the blackened!? Will you make the right choice or the dreadfully wrong one!?"

Just like last time, the screen turned to a wheel with the faces of every student on each section. On top of the middle of the wheel was an arrow. The wheel started to spin rapidly before slowly stopping. It eventually landed with Renora right on top of the arrow. The screen suddenly started flashing and a small jingle could be heard, which means we voted correctly yet again.

CLASS TRIAL ALLRISE!

TRIAL PHASES:

1\. NON-STOP DEBATE

2\. MASS PANIC DEBATE

3\. NON-STOP DEBATE

4\. REBUTTAL SHOWDOWN

5\. NON-STOP DEBATE

6\. PSYCHE TAXI

7\. LOGIC TEAM

8\. HANGMAN'S GAMBIT

9\. NON-STOP DEBATE

10\. REBUTTAL SHOWDOWN

11\. HANGMAN'S GAMBIT

12\. HANGMAN'S GAMBIT

13\. NON-STOP DEBATE

14\. NON-STOP DEBATE

15\. NON-STOP DEBATE

16\. DEBATE SCRUM

17\. PSYCHE TAXI

18\. NON-STOP DEBATE

19\. REBUTTAL SHOWDOWN

20\. ARGUMENT ARMAMENT

21\. CLOSING ARGUMENT

CLASS TRIAL END

Monokuma: "Once again, you were absolutely correct! The blackened who killed Chiyo is none other than Renora Shinsato! Considering that she still hasn't admitted it, I applaud you all for managing to come to the right conclusion without the answer being handed straight to you!"

Renora: "............"

Yemon: "Don't bother saying Monokuma lied about you being the culprit, because he obviously didn't. Just admit it already."

Renora: "Yes, I killed Chiyo."

Nori: "Why? Why!? WHY THE FUCK DID YOU KILL HER, RENORA!?!"

Renora: "............."

Tetsu: "Please tell us, Renora. We will never accept your death unless you tell us your reasons."

Renora: "............"

Emnei: "Please, Renora! You told us you were going to prevent anybody from becoming a victim through your leadership skills, so why did you end up killing somebody!?"

Renora: "............"

Chimon: "Why are you so hesitant to tell us your reasons?"

Renora: ".......... Because if I told you my reasons, none of you would understand. You all would just hate me even more!"

Yemon: "Yeah, we we're all going to hate you even more if you continue to stay silent like a coward."

Renjiro: "What do you mean, we? I don't hate Renora right now. I mean, all the killers had a reasonable motive for committing murder in the past, so why isn't it the same here?"

Gyo Shin: "I definitely hate her though! She killed Chiyo! That is completely unforgivable! I hope your execution is especially brutal! I would love to see it with my own two eyes!"

Akina: "What the hell happened to you, Gyo Shin!? I get you're mad at her for killing your friend, but that's way too far!"

Gyo Shin: "Well, I think you should shut the fuck up! I don't care about your personal morals!"

Sashi: "Seriously, Gyo Shin. Calm down."

Nori: "I still haven't heard your reasons, Renora! Why would you do this!? I spent the entire trial believing in you into the end, and then it turns out I was wrong! It makes me so upset!"

Renora: "Like I said, if I told you my reasons, none of you would understand!"

Chimon: "How can you know that we wouldn't understand if you refuse to say your reasons? You already killed someone. There's no going back, so you might as well tell your motive right here and now."

Tetsu: "Was it really because you didn't want your secret to be revealed?"

Renora: "Well, that is part of it, yes."

Emnei: "Was your secret really that bad!? Bad enough that you are willing to kill someone to keep it!?"

Renora: "It was to me. But none of you would get it. You would think I killed someone for an extremely petty reason. My reputation is already going down the drain, I don't want it to be even more ruined!"

Sashi: "Please, just tell us what your secret is. I'm sure we will understand."

Despite what I said, deep down, I thought Renora probably did kill Chiyo for a really petty reason. Considering how bad of a person she really is, I doubt she had an understandable reason for committing murder. But I lied because I really wanted to know what her secret is."

Renora: "Fine, I'll tell you. My darkest and most embarrassing secret is....... I cheated on a final exam once."

Renjiro: "What?"

Akina: "Are you kidding me!?"

Yemon: "That's your fucking reason!? That's why you blackmailed me into cooperating into your murder plan!? What the actual fuck!?"

Instantly, my already negative opinion of Renora turned to extreme hatred. That's her reason!? Because she cheated on a fucking test!? She killed someone and tried to have everyone executed for a petty motive like that!?

Nori: "You're lying, right!?"

Renora: "See, I knew it! I knew you guys would all hate me if I told you the truth! None of you understand me!"

Chimon: "Yeah, and for good reason! You seriously would rather be found out as a murderer than a cheater!? God, you're such an awful person."

Renora: "Well, I was hoping that if my plan succeeded, I would be found out as neither! My reputation would continue to be amazing!"

Emnei: "Why!? Why do you care so much if people find out that you cheated on a test!? I don't care that you cheated! I care that you killed somebody and tried to have everybody executed because of it!"

Renora: "Because, I'm perfect, and everybody needs to know that! If people find out I'm a cheater, they'll think I'm a flawed human being! Well, guess what! I have no flaws! I am perfection! I don't need to cheat because I'm smart enough to ace all the exams on my own! That's why I cheated! Because it's better to cheat than to get a bad grade for everyone to see!"

Akina: "You seriously killed someone just to get a better reputation!? You fucking narcissist!"

Gyo Shin: "YOU FUCKING BITCH!!!"

Gyo Shin suddenly lunged at Renora, knocking her to the ground. Then she started doing something nobody could have expected. She started choking her neck with her own two hands!

Gyo Shin: "HOW DO YOU LIKE THAT NOW, BITCH!!!"

Monokuma: "Hey! No violence allowed while a class trial is in session! Save your murders for after the execution has finished! Besides, I'm the one who gets to punish the blackened, not you!"

But Gyo Shin refused to listen. She just continued to choke Renora furiously.

Sashi: "If you kill her right now, you'll get executed right here and now! Do you really want that!?"

Gyo Shin: "Don't worry! I'm not going to kill her! Right before she loses consciousness, I'm going to resist my hands for a bit! Then I start choking her again until right before she's about to die! IT WILL BE AN ENDLESS CYCLE OF PAIN AND MISERY FOR THE ONE WHO KILLED CHIYO~!"

Nori suddenly slapped Gyo Shin, and instantly her hands let go of Renora's neck. Renora then ran away from Gyo Shin, keeping her distance from her.

Nori: "Stop it! She's going to get executed anyways! Why do you feel the need to punish even more before her death!? Is this what Chiyo would have wanted!?"

Gyo Shin: "No, but I don't care what she wanted! This bitch deserves it!"

Nori: "It doesn't matter what you think! If you keep hurting her, you're going to be punished my Monokuma! Regardless of what you think about Renora, you're going way too far!"

Gyo Shin: "Whatever you say."

Renora: "See! You all hate me! Gyo Shin literally tried to kill me because of her hatred of me! You all think I'm just a horrible human being! This is why I didn't want to tell anybody my motive! Besides, like I said, that was only part of it! My main reason for killing was something different! If I tell you it, will you stop hating me!?"

Tetsu: "What!? What is it!?"

Renora: "I just wanted to escape! My entire life here has been extreme torture! Being confined in a situation with no outside information and friends! A situation where you're forced to kill each other! It's all awful! That's why I had to get out no matter what!"

Chimon: "First off, why should we believe you? Second of all, even if that is the case, that's a terrible excuse for murder. Everyone else wants to escape as well. But they managed to stop themselves from killing anyone. Why can't you do the same?"

Renora: "I don't fucking know!"

Nori: "Also, why the hell did you try to frame me for the crime!? I thought we were friends!"

Renora: "I didn't want to frame you! It's just that I happened to have your secret, which was convenient for my crime!"

Akina: "That's a terrible excuse for betraying your best friend! God, you're a horrible person!"

Renora: "Stop it! Stop attacking me! You all are horrible!"

Renjiro: "Your fake tears aren't going to convince us. Stop trying to manipulate us! Speaking of what the hell were you thinking!? Trying to manipulate us into not voting for you with your fake tears and lies! I feel so betrayed right now!"

Nori: "I believed you until the end! I kept fighting for you, because I legitimately thought you were innocent! And it turns out I was wrong!?"

Sashi: "Don't you believe me now!? Renora is a legitimately awful human being! If she's willing to do all these terrible things, wouldn't it make sense that she would also lie about me stealing the axe in the armory!?"

Tetsu: "She lied about me stealing weapons as well! And she also burned my notebook! She has been lying to you all!"

Doryo: "But the photo Renora took is legitimate evidence, is it not?"

Akina: "Obviously, she faked that photo!"

Renjiro: "Did you really lie about everything!?"

Renora: "Yes, okay! I lied about everything! I lied about burning Tetsu's notebook! I lied about her and Sashi stealing weapons! I lied about not letting any of you become a victim! It was all a lie!"

Nori: "Are you fucking kidding me!? I'm so sorry, you two!"

Gyo Shin: "I can't believe I fell for that lie!"

Renjiro: "I really sorry for not believing you, Sashi!"

Sashi: "It's okay. It's Renora's fault, not any of yours'."

Yemon: "I'll never forgive you for this, Renora!"

Renora: "Please! Please listen to me!"

Emnei: "What is it now!?"

Renora: "I know I did something awful, but I had conflicting feelings about the whole thing! I hated killing Chiyo and trying to have everyone executed! I never truly wanted to hurt anyone! I'm.... I'm sorry everyone!"

Chimon: "As if we would believe you're half-assed apology."

Renora: "It's true! It really is! I legitimately feel awful about the whole thing!"

Is she really being honest right now? Is she actually sorry for what she did? Or is it just another one of her lies in order to make herself look better? After everything she did, it's really hard to believe her. But at the same time, there's something deep in my brain that tells me that there's more to her that meets the eye. Maybe if I got to know her better, I would be more forgiving. At this point, it's really hard to tell what she really thinks.

Monokuma: "Okay, so are we all done arguing now? Because punishment time is fast approaching!"

Renora: "NO!!! I don't want to die! Please don't go through with this!"

Monokuma: "Now then, I've prepared a very special punishment for the Ultimate Figure Skater!"

Tetsu: "I don't want to watch this! While what Renora did was unforgivable, I don't think she deserves to be executed!"

Renjiro: "Can't I turn off this monitor!? I don't want to witness this!"

Monokuma: "Nope! Only I can turn the monitor on and off! You're going to have to witness this despair-inducing punishment whether you like it or not!"

Renjiro: "Oh no."

Nori: "This is just too awful! I'm sick of all my friends dying! Even people like Renora!"

Renora: "I can't die! I won't die! I WANT TO LIVEEEEE!!!"

Monokuma: "Let's give it everything we've got!!! It's PUNISHMENT TI~!"

Renora suddenly threw Monokuma across from his podium, breaking into pieces.

Renora: "Ha, ha, ha, ha, HAHAHAHA!!! You can't kill me now, can you!!! Not while you look like that!!!"

Almost as immediately as Monokuma broke, a new one suddenly popped in.

Monokuma: "STUPID!!! Don't you remember!!! I have multiple clones! Even if you try to kill me, another one will just appear!"

Renora: "I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU SAY!!! I'M NOT GOING TO DIE HERE!!!"

Renora suddenly dashed towards the elevator door, and furiously stated slamming it with her fists.

Renora: "Open! Please open!"

Monokuma: "Time to begin the punishment for real! Now then, I've prepared a very special punishment for the Ulitmate Figure Skater!"

Renora: "OPEN!!! OPEN, DAMN YOU!!!"

Monokuma: "Let's give it everything we got!!! It's PUNISHMENT TIME!!!"

Renora: "OPEEEENNNNNNNNNNN!!!"

Just like the last class trial, a sixteen-bit video of Monokuma dragging away Renora appeared on the screen. The words stated the words "GAME OVER" and "Renora has been found guilty. Time for the punishment!"

Just like the previous two times, a large door opened up and out came a long chain. Renora tried to run away from the chain, but it grabbed her leg and pulled her to the ground. She tried to get back up, only for it to grasp her neck and pull her towards the open door. The door then shut behind her. Once again, the screen showed her being pulled into a new room. The room's floor was a huge sheet of ice. As soon as the neck let go of Renora, her body slammed onto the ice, causing it to crack for a bit.

A SUBMERGED ICE QUEEN

There was a dial on one of the walls that served as a thermometer. It showed that the room was a shockingly low 10*F. Renora started dashing towards it, but as she did, the thermometer started turning rapidly, causing the temperature to start dropping. As Renora ran as fast as she could, the ice below began to start cracking. Soon enough, the ice split open, revealing a pool of freezing water underneath. Right before Renora reached the dial, the ice shattered below her, and she fell into the water. The temperature was now -65*F. It was so cold that the ice instantly froze over after she sank into the water, preventing Renora from getting back out. She rose to the surface and started punching the ice as fast as she could. Throughout the whole ordeal, her body started turning blue and she slowly began to drown. As she punched the ice, it began to crack yet again. Eventually, she was able to punch straight through the ice, breaking it. She tried to pull herself out of the water with her arm, but her lack of oxygen caused her to drown before she could, and her body sank to the bottom of the pool. It was no doubt at this point. Renora was now dead.

Monokuma: "WOOHOO!!! A nice cruel and unusual punishment always gets me excited!"

Once again, we were left with an extremely heavy atmosphere. Regardless of what we personally thought about Renora, she was now dead. The person who we used to think as our friend, was now executed right in front of our eyes.

Tetsu: "I can't deal with this! I can't take these class trials anymore!!!"

Nori: "AHHHHHHHHH!!!"

Emnei: "This is just too awful for words! No one deserves to die a death like that, not even Renora!"

Almost all of us were both shocked and terrified. But the most affected out of all of us was Nori. She was practically having a panic attack, with her constant screaming and crying. Feeling bad for her, I tried my best to comfort Nori.

Sashi: "I'm really sorry Nori. This must be really hard for you. To find out your best friend is a murderer who killed for a really petty reason, not to mention framing you for the crime. You must feel really betrayed right now."

Nori: "I do feel betrayed! But also, having known Renora for over a week now. I can kind of understand her motivation."

Sashi: "Wait, really?

Nori: "Don't get me wrong. She's not even remotely justified for what she did. In fact, the previous killers had way more understandable motives than her. Still, her motive may seem petty and narcissistic to the common person, but it's a way different situation than Renora. Renora was a person that was designed to be perfect from birth. Her life goals were to be as perfect as she possibly can. The problem is, Renora isn't perfect. Far from it in fact. So, she tried to hide that fact by making herself out to be a better person than she truly is. Because she knows if people knew the true side of her, they would leave her. All she wanted in life was to receive praise and admiration from others."

Sashi: "I don't know. She still sounds like a complete narcissist to me."

Nori: "I know. She probably is a textbook example of narcissistic personality disorder. Still, a lot of personality disorders are caused by people's upbringing, not genetic factors. I think a lot of her more negative traits were caused by the way she was raised."

Sashi: "How can you assume such a thing though? Do you really know her that well? Did she tell you all of this?"

Nori: "No. She hasn't told me any of this. And I still don't know that much about her background. But I can make inferences based on her behavior. Part of the reason I say this is because I don't think Renora is completely irredeemable as a person. I think she is perfectly capable of emphasizing with others and forming emotional bonds. You may think Renora is hiding it, but if she really didn't care about me as a person, she wouldn't have spent so much time with me. Besides, I don't think everything she said was a lie. I think she was originally trying to prevent more people from dying. That's why she made that government system in the first place."

Sashi: "Wasn't she just doing that to make it easier for her to commit murder?"

Nori: "But she became leader before Monokuma's motive was even revealed, which is why she committed murder in the first place. If that was the case, wouldn't she have formed the government after the motive was revealed?"

Sashi: "But wasn't her main reason for committing murder not because of her secret being revealed, but because she wanted to escape? She said it herself."

Nori: "True. But she had plenty of opportunities in the past to kill someone in order to escape. I think Monokuma's new motive just added more fuel to the fire, and she just snapped."

Sashi: "Still, it's really hard to forgive her after doing so many terrible things."

Nori: "Yeah. Trust me, I have a hard time forgiving her as well. Maybe I'm just trying to make excuses for her behavior since she's my best friend. But still, I think underneath all of her insensitivity, she truly hates the way she is. She tries to act like a better person partly because she wants to be a better person. That's why she apologized at the end. She committed murder in order to keep her good reputation and regrets it. Renora tried desperately to get people to like her, and sometimes her efforts go too far, and she ends up making herself look even worse. Because she knows if people started hating her, she would start hating herself. Renora knows she's a narcissist and she hates it. But I guess this is all bunch of theories in the end. She's dead now, so it's not like we can confirm it."

Sashi: "Yeah. I was actually wondering if her apology was legitimate or not. Dammit, I wish I got to know her better!"

Chimon: "You know what, there's one thing I noticed about her murder plan compared to the other ones. It's way clumsier and not as well thought out. It's really convoluted for no real reason. Like for example, why did she need to hang the body? If she never did that, Renora might never have been found out. All hanging the body does it obfuscate the cause of death. Also, I felt like she tried to frame too many people. She framed three different people in her plan. Doryo, Yemon, and Nori. But the more people you frame, the more obvious it is that it came from one person. Marika tried to frame two people in her plan, but it was in a way that was much more natural. It looked more like Chiyo tried to frame Fudoki for Kando's murder. It wasn't until we found out that both Chiyo and Fudoki were innocent that we found out the true culprit's identity. In Renora's murder, it just looks like multiple people were framed by the true culprit. Not to mention, there's way too much evidence stacked up against both Nori and Yemon, to the point of it being extremely obvious that it's not them. Any normal murder someone would commit would not create that much evidence stacked against them. And even someone like Nori wouldn't be stupid enough to create that much suspicion against herself. I felt like Renora was trying to make her plan as convoluted as possible because she thought that what it means to have a smart and clever plan. She just looked at Naeko's and Marika's murders and thought, 'hey these murders are rather convoluted, and they almost got away with it. So, I should make my plan even more complicated' without understanding why those plans almost worked in the first place. Literally the only reason those two people were found out was because of accidential concidences. Things that they couldn't control. Not in this case. She tried way too hard. Which just goes to show that she tries way too hard to be perfect, because she really isn't."

Akina: "Yeah, I noticed that as well."

Yemon: "Can we stop talking about Renora? I'm sick of hearing about her. Besides, we still haven't figured out why Doryo killed Renjiro."

Renjiro: "Exactly! Why did you try to kill me, Doryo!? You never told us your reasons!"

Doryo: "Why the hell do my reasons matter!?"

Chimon: "You tried to murder someone! Of course, your reasons matter!"

Doryo: "It's because I know something about Renjiro that none of you don't."

Emnei: "Did you get his secret?"

Doryo: "Yes, and through that, I was able to find a side of Renjiro that he tries so desperately to hide."

Renjiro: "What!? What the hell are you talking about!?"

Doryo: "Renjiro may act overly aggressive and pretend to be tough, when in reality, he's not! This whole macho man persona of his is competently fake!"

Tetsu: "What do you mean!? And why does it matter!?"

Doryo: "Because it made angry! To think that you actually aren't a man at all! You see, his talent as the Ultimate Bodybulder isn't his only ability!"

Renjiro: "You better shut the fuck up right now!"

Doryo: "Before he became the Ultimate Bodybuilder, he was a completely different Ultimate! He used to be known as the Ultimate Painter!"

CHAPTER 3 END

Sashi Asuka: Alive

Yemon Otsuka: Alive

Fudoki Sasaki: Dead

Akina Kuroda: Alive

Chimon Taniguchi: Alive

Marika Nagao: Dead

Tetsu Yanagi: Alive

Gyo Shin Morikawa: Alive

Doryo Ishii: Alive

Kando Yamamoto: Dead

Chiyo Gima: Dead

Renora Shinsato: Dead

Emnei Takada: Alive

Nori Ozaki: Alive

Renjiro Hara: Alive

Naeko Ennosuke: Dead

Surving Students: 10


	5. The Slow and Steady Loss of Sanity

PRELUDE:

???: How has the progress have gone along, Matashichi?"

Mataschichi: "Well, all books, reports, websites, and any data related to the Despair Era has been erased from this world. Not only that, but all laws talking about the subject have been put into place. But still I'm worried it's not going to be enough."

???: "Hmm? What do you mean?"

Matashichi: "Even if any source of public information on the subject is now gone and illegal, it doesn't stop people from telling stories about said events from generation to generation in public. The law preventing people from talking about is in the books, but rarely encourages people to stop talking about it."

???: "What do you plan to do about it?"

Matashichi: "I'm not sure at the moment. If there's an easier solution to this, I'll have to think about it."

???: "But why are you doing all of this in the first place? What's the point in erasing history? Is there really no other solution?"

Matashichi: "If people know about the Despair Era, then all the terrible tragedies that have happened in the past will repeat yet again. As long as people don't know what Junko Enoshima is, then they will never follow her example. Despair is something only Junko can comprehend without any brainwashing beforehand. If her name is erased from this world, then there will never be any Ultimate Despair again."

???: "But as long as the name is passed around privately from generation to generation, the Ultimate Despair will continue to prosper."

Matashichi: "That's exactly what I'm worried about. As long as people talk about it, there's always the potential of another Tragedy happening. Right now, there's far too few Ultimate Despair to pose a problem. I'm hoping that the new laws into place will help reduce that number even further, but they may have a plan. We must always keep watch on them."

???: "Of course."

PRELUDE END

After Doryo had made the sudden revelation about Renjiro's other Ultimate talent, we all returned to our rooms. Soon enough the nighttime announcement came.

Monokuma: "Attention, everyone. It is now 10:00 P.M. As such, it is officially nighttime. Remember that you cannot go to the gym nor the dining hall at night. Murders also cannot be committed during this time, so please wait until the next morning to start killing. Now then, goodnight everyone."

Before I went to sleep, I tried to erase the memories of the deaths of my friends by thinking about Renjiro's other Ultimate talent. Renjiro being the Ultimate Painter? I would never have guessed it. Like I don't care at all, but it's so surprising considering his actual personality. Or is like Doryo said? Is his overly aggressive and tough personality really a façade? I guess we just have to find out for ourselves. For now, though, I need to sleep, no matter how difficult it is. Soon enough, after fighting my brain to not think about the deaths of Chiyo and Renora, I managed to drift off into sleep.

................

Monokuma: "Good morning everyone. If you heard this announcement, that means that is 7:00 A.M and nighttime is officially over. The dining hall and gym will now be open, and you're free to kill as much as you want. Get ready for another beautiful day in your killing school semester."

Another day in this awful killing school trip has begun. Honestly, I can't even bring myself to stay positive about this whole situation anymore. Too many of our friends have died, and it's becoming increasingly obvious over time that it may be completely impossible for us to escape. We never have even found a single hope for us to grasp onto. If there's any way to escape and stop the mastermind, we haven't found it yet. But I guess I should try my best not to think about these things. At least I was able to actually sleep today without having any nightmares, but maybe it's just because I got lucky? But I shouldn't spend so much time thinking about pointless topics. First, I should check the chatroom once again.

Nori: Gm everyone

Akina: Gm

Sashi: So how did everyone sleep today?

Tetsu: Awful, I had terrible nightmates

Emnei: I just stayed up all night. I couldn't bring myself to sleep no matter how much I wanted to

Chimon: I slept fine. While I'm upset about the deaths of Renora and especially Chiyo, I'm not a person who is easily affected about these type of things

Nori: Wait, you're upset about the death of Renora? That's surprising. Considering how you thought that Marika and Naeko basically deserved their executions, why do you feel different about Renora? Even I admit that she had less sympathetic motives than those two, and I was her best friend

Chimon: Well, I'm trying to change my attitude about those types of things. Maybe I'm not really that upset over Renora's death. But regardless of my personal feelings, I shouldn't announce them publicly. I should at least try to respect their feelings. Besides, a normal person would be upset over Renora's execution. Even someone like her doesn't deserve an execution like that

Akina: Yeah. I hated Renora, but even I was horrified by her execution

Renjiro: I'm really surprised though. Her personality was completely different from what we originally thought. My opinion of someone has never changed so drastically before

Sashi: Oh, you're here Renjiro. You're not still mad at what Doryo did yesterday?

Renjiro: No, I'm over it. It seems like no one except him really cares about this sort of thing anyways. But I don't really want to talk about it. Please drop the issue.

Sashi: Oh sorry

Yemon: Hold on. Are you people actually upset that Renora's gone?

Nori: Yeah. I guess you wouldn't be that upset considering she blackmailed into cooperating with her murder plan, but it's different for us

Yemon: Are you fucking kidding me? She framed you for her own murder and tried to execute everyone except her! Why are you upset about her death!?

Emnei: Yemon, are you okay? You're acting completely different from normal

Yemon: What's the point in acting like a nice guy anymore when the killing game is seriously talking a toll on you!?

Chimon: But I'm going through this killing game and I'm changing more positively than negatively. Why is it different for you?

Yemon: Shut up Chimon. You know I hate you, so don't backtalk to me

I was shocked by Yemon's sudden change in demeanor. Is this what the killing game does to people? It changes people's personalities, and turns them mentally insane, as seen with Gyo Shin.

Sashi: Anyways, should we head to the dining hall now?

Akina: Yeah

Emnei: Of course

Sashi: Ok

After sending my final message, I closed the chatroom and walked over to the dining hall. Everyone was there except Renjiro and Doryo. Renjiro is still in the infirmary, so it would be much more surprising if he did show up, but Doryo always came. While I'm kind of grateful he didn't show up, considering how much of an asshole he is and how he tried to kill Renjiro, it still left me curious.

Nori: "Good morning Sashi. It's nice to see that you came, even though you always do."

Tetsu: "Where's Doryo though? He always comes to the dining hall meetings, even if he rarely interacts with everyone."

Yemon: "We don't need a piece of shit like him. If he doesn't show up, that's a good thing."

Akina: "Especially after what he did to Renjiro."

Emnei: "I'm curious though. Why did Renjiro try to hide his real talent?"

Chimon: "Maybe he thought we would judge him for not having a very 'manly' talent."

Tetsu: "But it's not like anyone here actually cares, except Doryo I mean."

Chimon: "But there's no way Renjiro could know that. Honestly, we should be discussing this with Renjiro himself. That's the only way we will get proper answers."

Emnei: "I'm worried about Gyo Shin. She hasn't said a word since she came to the dining hall."

Gyo Shin: "..............."

Akina: "Is she still upset over Chiyo's death? Speaking of, you kind of flipped out during the class trial. Are you okay, Gyo Shin?

Gyo Shin: "No. How could I possibly be okay!?"

Akina: "See, that's what I'm talking about! Ever since Chiyo's death, you have been lashing out at everyone else!"

Gyo Shin: "Yeah, and I don't care. The only person I ever cared about was Chiyo, and she's dead."

Tetsu: "I think you need to calm down Gyo Shin. Chiyo's death was a tragedy, and I feel really sorry for you, but this is not the best way to handle the situation. We're all friends here, so stop getting mad at everyone."

Gyo Shin: "I don't think I'm friends with anyone here. In fact, we're probably the opposite."

Tetsu: "Well, I don't want to argue about this, so let's just change the subject."

Sashi: "I have a question. Now that Renora is dead, what are we going to do about the whole government thing?"

Yemon: "Abandon it. Renora didn't actually care for us as human beings. She only used the government as a basis for her murder plan. These kinds of things lead to power abuse anyways."

Nori: "Why can't you and I run it, Yemon? We definitely wouldn't abuse our positions of power, right?"

Yemon: "No. I don't trust anyone right now. We trusted Renora and look at what she did. How do we know you're not the same? You may act like a sweet and caring person, but you might be a total bitch on the inside, just like her."

Nori: "What!? Why don't you trust me, Yemon!? What the fuck happened to you!? You used to be really nice and trusted everyone!"

Yemon: "The past's the past, and this is the future! Blindly trusting everyone and being friendly towards all the other students is not a very smart thing to do in a killing game! After we have been betrayed by so many people, I don't know who to trust anymore!"

Emnei: "But weren't you going to lead us all!? Didn't you say that cooperation is key in this kind of situation!?"

Yemon: "No. Cooperation leads to betrayal and more murders. We have tried our best to cooperate in the past and look where it led us."

Akina: "Yemon is starting to sound like Chimon now, or at least how he used to act."

Chimon: "It feels like me and Yemon are slowly becoming each other's past selfs. I'm starting to act more like Yemon's past self, while Yemon is starting to act more like my past self."

Yemon: "I don't understand why you changed so much, Chimon. You were right in the past. I was the wrong one. Blindly cooperating with everyone is going to lead to your death."

Tetsu: "But we all like the new Chimon. You're the only who thinks differently."

Sashi: "Chimon honestly used to be a complete asshole to everyone, but he starting to show a much kinder side, which makes me like him a lot better."

Yemon: "Well if another death happens because of everyone blindly cooperating, don't come screaming to me. I'm just warning you all."

Nori: "We I don't think that will happen! If you aren't going to lead everyone, then I will!"

Emnei: "That's the spirit, Nori!"

Nori: "I will try my best to make sure no one else dies! Don't listen to Yemon, everyone! If we ever plan on escaping, cooperation is key!"

Monopup: "Hey, sorry to interrupt your little speech, but~!"

Gyo Shin: "Yeah, we get it. More areas of the school have opened up. You don't need to butt in to remind us."

Monopup: "Hey, you're stealing my spotlight! Anyways, all the gates are now opened! So pretty much the entire school is now open!"

Akina: "Wait, really? Is that it? So, if we pass another class trial, will there be no more areas to unlock?"

Monopup: "Well, not exactly. There's a few buildings that won't be unlocked until later, but all the gates are now open!"

Sashi: "Well so much for getting my hopes up."

Monopup: "Anyways, that's all I came here to tell you, so bye."

Tetsu: "So are we ready to start searching now?"

Emnei: "Yeah, but afterwards, we should all visit Renjiro in the infirmary. He could really use some company."

Chimon: "Sounds good. Let's start exploring now."

Akina: "Hey, Sashi. You want to start exploring the school now? I feel like we have really become good friends now, so I feel like doing everything with you now."

Sashi: "Sure, Akina. I would love to."

Akina: "Then let's get going."

Thus, everyone began leaving the dining hall in groups. We then started heading towards the gate to the left of Nori's lab, right above the hill, and sure enough, it was open. Right behind the gate was a huge building with a sign that was labeled "Ultimate Clown Lab."

Sashi: "Gyo Shin's lab."

Akina: "If she's inside, I hope Gyo Shin is actually willing to talk to us."

Sashi: "Yeah, this killing game has really changed her. Despite her sudden change of attitude, I still feel bad for her."

Akina: "Yeah, I sort of do too. But her choking Renora was way too far."

Sashi: "I agree. That was totally over the line. I'm surprised Renora didn't resist though. She's much stronger than Gyo Shin, so she easily could have pushed her away."

Akina: "Maybe Renora felt she deserved it? But now's not the time to dwell on subjects like that. Let's head inside."

Me and Akina entered the Ultimate Clown Lab, finding what looked to be an actual circus. The entire roof was shaped like a big top, and there were tons of equipment inside. Pies, juggling and balancing balls, tricycles, and clown cars filled the room. Everything that was fit to serve in a circus act was in the room, except for animals. Sitting inside was Gyo Shin, barely even taking a glance at everything in the room. She still looked completely depressed.

Sashi: "Hi, Gyo Shin."

Gyo Shin: "................"

Akina: "How are you doing?"

Gyo Shin: "Terrible."

Akina: "That's too bad. But at least you finally have your own research lab. Doesn't all this stuff excite you?"

Gyo Shin: "Not really. It's not like there's anyone to perform circus acts to anyways."

Sashi: "What are you talking about!? What about everyone here!? You could easily perform in front of all of them!"

Gyo Shin: "It's nothing compared to the huge audiences that form at my circus. Besides, teenagers would probably have no interest in what I do. It's all family-friendly, so it mostly appeals to young children."

Akina: "That's not true! I love seeing people perform, no matter the subject! You're the Ultimate Clown for a reason! I'm sure you can find some way to entertain us!"

Gyo Shin: "Maybe, but I don't really feel like it."

Sashi: "What happened to all your enthusiasm? Oh, I know! How about we tell some jokes to cheer you up!?"

Gyo Shin: "I don't want to hear your shitty ass jokes! So shut the fuck up!"

Sashi: "Jesus! You don't have to yell at me!"

Akina: "Hey! You don't get to talk that way to my friend! Do you want to get punched!?"

Gyo Shin: "Stop acting like an overly protective girlfriend. You don't scare me."

Akina: "Girlfriend!? We're just friends, okay!?"

Gyo Shin: "Sure you are. But you're secretly hoping that it will lead to a relationship, won't you!?"

Akina: "SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!"

Sashi: "STOP IT!!!"

Instantly, everyone shut up at the sound of my yelling voice.

Sashi: "This argument is completely pointless! There's no reason to fight over it! We're supposed to all be friends!"

Gyo Shin: "Stop saying that. We're not friends."

Akina: "See! The reason we can never get out of this situation is because of people like you! No matter what we do, there's always people that refuse to cooperate with us!"

Sashi: "Stop it, Akina. Let it go. How about we just leave Gyo Shin by herself? She probably needs some alone time."

Gyo Shin: "Yes. Please leave."

Sashi: "Goodbye Gyo Shin. I hope you're in a better mood next time."

As such, Akina and I left Gyo Shin's lab. We then headed towards the gate that leads down the hill to the area at the bottom of the school. Sure enough, the gate was open. As we climbed down, we reached a huge area. There were two large buildings in the center, and a huge dirt road surrounding them. It almost looked like a racetrack, which would be perfect for Yemon. There were also buildings in the top left and bottom right. But what was most notable of all were that there were two very large buildings near the top right. But there were very narrow except for at the top, where they were much wider. There was also a wooden bridge connecting the two buildings on the top floor.

Akina: "Look at these buildings! They look like they belong in a big city!"

Sashi: "But why is it so narrow except for the top floor?"

Akina: "I don't know. Maybe inside the buildings are elevators that lead to the top, which is the only real floor in the building. Monokuma has very strange design choice for buildings, so it's best not to question what he does."

Sashi: "Look at that wooden bridge though. It doesn't look very stable. Considering how high up it is, walking across it would be very scary."

Akina: "Not to mention, it's a rope bridge, so someone could easily cut the ropes at the end and it would fall down."

Sashi: "Ugh. Just thinking about that makes me nervous. In any case, let's see if we can enter."

I tried examining the left building first, and there were doors, but they refused to budge. I tried pressing the elevator button next to the bottom, but it still wouldn't open no matter how much I waited.

Sashi: "Looks like we can't enter."

Akina: "This is probably one of the buildings that won't be unlocked until later."

Sashi: "Let's see if we can enter through the other building."

But when I examined the building on the outside, there was no door. The only thing I noticed was a mysterious hole on one side of the building that seemed to be shaped like Monokuma?

Akina: "Can we even enter this building?"

Sashi: "Not at the moment, but I think that hole might be significant. Doesn't it look like Monokuma?"

Akina: "Yeah, it kind of does. But does that really mean anything? It might just be Monokuma's strange choice of design."

Sashi: "Maybe, but I'm thinking maybe that you're supposed to fit something shaped like Monokuma inside the hole. Maybe that will reveal the doorway."

Akina: "I don't know. That seems a little far-fetched to me."

Sashi: "Anything is possible in this school."

Akina: "Eh, true. Let's try looking somewhere else though."

We then decided to head over to the large buildings in the middle of the dirt road circle. The building on the right was labeled "Hope's Peak Academy Offices." It was tall and was made of metal with many glass windows. It definitely looked like an office building. Unfortunately, the door was locked shut. It seems to require a keycard to get in, as shown by the keyhole to the right.

Sashi: "It's locked shut."

Akina: "I guess that's another building that will have to be unlocked later."

Sashi: "No, I don't think we're supposed to access this area in the first place, as it looks like you need a keycard to get in."

Akina: "Oh! How about I just use the keycard that Monokuma gave me!?"

Sashi: "You can try, but I doubt I'll actually work."

Akina inserted her keycard in, and sure enough, it didn't do crap.

Akina: "Fuck."

Sashi: "That really sucks, because based on the title, this is probably where the administrators of Hope's Peak Academy work. In that case, we could have found some major clues about our situation."

Akina: "It's possible that the people who are running the killing game behind the scenes are working there. In that case, it might be best that we don't enter."

Sashi: "Yeah. Let's stop worrying about places we're not supposed to enter at the moment. We should go somewhere else."

Next, we decided to head to the other large building nearby. It's shape looked like a giant theater. The sign on it read "Ultimate Actress's Research Lab." Instantly, I got really excited.

Sashi: "Look! I finally found my lab! I wonder what's in it!"

Akina: "I'm honestly not sure how different this is going to be from Nori's lab considering that they're both based on careers in the film industry. But I'm happy for you."

Sashi: "I don't know! I guess I should just enter and find out for myself!"

I rushed into my lab while Akina quickly followed. Inside my lab were tons of mirrors with tons of makeup and hair products placed next to them. There were also tons of different wigs and costumes lined up. Finally, there was a microphone in the middle of the room, which I assume is where I practice my lines and acting skills. All the things in here made me so thrilled.

Sashi: "I love it! This is like a paradise for me!"

Akina: "Really? Haven't you been to film studios all the time? This shouldn't be anything new. In fact, those studios are probably way better places to practice your talent than this shitty ass school."

Sashi: "Well, yeah. But I'm really excited because now I finally get to do what I love most! I really missed acting, so this makes me exhilarated! I still miss my acting career, but who knows. Maybe I'll show my acting schools right in front of all the other students."

Akina: "Speaking of, I haven't heard much on Nori's movie she claimed she was going to make. Wasn't she going to record us?"

Sashi: "I think she's still working on it but recording people privately. There's no way she would forget about something like this."

Akina: "Yeah, you're right. But I was thinking, maybe you should act in front of Nori's camera! Make a whole scene as a part of her movie!"

Sashi: "That's honestly a great idea! I should talk about it with her later!"

Akina: "I can't wait to see it! I hope you're acting is as great as everyone says!"

Sashi: "Wait, have you never seen any of my movies before?"

Akina: "Um, no. To be honest, I don't watch many movies."

Sashi: "Why? You're seriously missing out!"

Akina: "I never really had the time nor interest to watch movies constantly. I only watch a film every once in a while. But I'll definitely check out your films! In fact, I'll watch every last one of them!"

Sashi: "That might be a bit excessive. You probably don't want to see some of my earlier work. It's really embarrassing."

Akina: "I don't care. It's just nice to see my friend preform, no matter the quality of the film."

Sashi: "Well, do whatever you want. But definitely check out my most recent films. I have won Oscars based on my acting ability."

Akina: "I'll definitely do that, so don't worry!"

Sashi: "Okay, good. Anyways, I think we're done in here, so let's continue searching the school."

Akina: "Alright."

We headed out of my lab and walked towards to the building near the bottom-right of the school. It was labeled "Ultimate Stuntman Lab."

Akina: "Oh no."

Sashi: "It's Doryo's lab."

Akina: "I really hope he's not in here. I don't want to talk to that piece of shit."

Sashi: "Me neither. But I am curious what's in this lab. Doryo has never talked about his talent. He was called the Ultimate Stuntman for a reason, you know."

Akina: "Well we can just take a quick look inside. If Doryo's in the room, we'll just leave immediately."

Sashi: "Sounds good."

We headed inside Doryo's lab, and we found what looked to be a motorcycle in the middle of the room. There was also a bunch of ramps inside, presumably to be run over using the motorcycle. There was also what looked to be lighters that are used to start fires inside. 

Sashi: "I'm looking everywhere, but Doryo doesn't seem to be in here."

Akina: "Thank god. But in any case, we don't have any reason to stay in here, so let's leave." 

Me and Akina headed out of Doryo's lab and walked towards the last building we haven't looked at. It was in the top-left of the field area below the rest of the school. It was a large marble structure with pillars up front. The sign labeled this structure as "Museum."

Sashi: "A museum? What the hell is a museum doing in a school like this?"

Akina: "I have no idea. Besides, what could they possibly show at the museum? What is this museum going to teach us about?"

Sashi: "I don't know. I guess we just have to go in and find out."

As such, we headed inside the museum doors. In the middle of the museum were giant Monokuma and Monopup statues. There was also an exhibit showing a diorama of the entire school. Art displaying Monokuma, Hope's Peak Academy, and bloody murders of random people were pasted all over the wall. Most of the stuff here was completely unimportant, giving no valuable information even on the plaques, except for one particular exhibit. It showed a picture of a middle-aged man with only half a head of black hair and a big, scruffy beard. According to the plague, this man was named Takishima Kakuei. But the information listed below the name is what intrigued me the most.

Sashi: "This is really interesting."

Akina: "Huh? What is?"

Sashi: "What's listed under this plague. I'll just read it out loud: 'Takishima Kakuei is the original creator of a video game franchise called Danganronpa. What's interesting about this franchise is that it's all based on completely true events. However, very few members of the public know about this fact. That's because the franchise claimed that these events were entirely fictional. This was done as an order from the current leader of Modern Japan at the time, Yoichi Matashichi. The primary purpose of this franchise was not to entertain but brainwash the public into thinking previous historic events never actually happened and were all fictional. Even though Matashichi called for the burning of books that talked about the Despair Era and made the discussion of such topics illegal, it didn't stop people from telling stories about it from generation to generation in private. So Danganronpa was made to brainwash the people that are informed about these topics from their ancestors to believe that they are telling them fictional events. Thus, the Despair Era became fiction. Matashichi did this in order to eradicate the Remnants of Despairs entirely, stopping them from spreading despair. However, the franchise instantly became popular, so people eventually began making sequels that are not based on the Despair Era, but what could have happened, had Earth never been destroyed. Eventually, some extremely radical fans of the franchise started creating killing games in real life based on the franchise and pretending its part of the same fictional universe as Danganronpa, essentially creating a reality tv show based on the franchise. Participants that had Ultimate-level worthy talents willingly participated in said killing games. However, as soon as the show began, all contestants lost their memories and new ones were inserted in their brains through flashback lights. This caused them to believe that the events of Danganronpa actually happened in real life, while also believing whatever fictional plot the current killing game was using. However, the killing games ended with Danganronpa 53, as the students figured out what was going on and convinced the Danganronpa fans to abandon the franchise, ending in the current mastermind, Tsumigi Shirogane's death.' It's certainly a lot to swallow."

Akina: "I'm so confused. I don't even know what a lot of these terms mean. What's 'Earth', the 'Despair Era', 'flashback lights', and 'Remnant of Despairs'? I feel like I'm missing out on crucial context here."

Sashi: "Yeah, it confuses me a bit too. However, in the library, I saw a book called 'The Complete History of Earth in a Nutshell.' Apparently, Earth is another planet that people lived in. However, the book only went to 2185 AD, even though the book was written in 2184 AD."

Akina: "Maybe they predicted the world ending at that exact year? 2185 AD?"

Sashi: "If so, that means that Earth is no longer inhabitable. Maybe people were moved from Earth to our current planet, Cozeliea?"

Akina: "It's certainly a possibility, but we can never know for sure. At least for now."

Sashi: "Anyways, back to what I was talking about. This book talked about the Despair Era. It apparently took place from 2079 to 2185 AD. I guess it was a time period that took place at Earth."

Akina: "2185 AD? That's almost a thousand years ago!"

Sashi: "But the strange thing is that all pages related to the era were torn out, so we don't know any of the details about it. As for those other terms, I have no idea what they mean."

Akina: "The mysteries just keep getting bigger and bigger, don't they?"

Sashi: "But what I'm most curious about, is when the plague talks about the killing games. According to the plague, killing games were orchestrated by Danganronpa fans to serve as part of the franchise. But these killing games sound a lot like what we're going through right now."

Akina: "So you think our current situation is a killing game taking place in the Danganronpa universe?"

Sashi: "I don't think so. First of all, apparently 'flashback lights' were used in the killing games. But I don't think there's anything even remotely like that used in our current situation. You think we would have heard about them by now if it's the same situation. Not to mention, apparently the killing games ended with Danganronpa 53. The franchise ended, as the fans are now sick of it. So why would it continue?"

Akina: "But we are definitely going through a killing game. So, does that mean that it is orchestrated by someone completely separate from Danganronpa?"

Sashi: "I don't know. We need more clues to come to a conclusion like that anyways."

Akina: "You're right. Anyways, are we done here?"

Sashi: "Yeah. Let's leave now."

Akina and I left the museum, going outside.

Sashi: "I guess we finished searching the school. We at least found a few clues this time."

Akina: "Yeah."

Sashi: "You want to go our separate ways now? I should head back to my room."

Akina: "Aww, okay. I really like spending time with you."

Sashi: "I know, but we can do it again later."

Akina: "Then goodbye, Sashi."

Sashi: "Farewell, Akina."

We then both headed to our own rooms. I decided to rest in my dorm room for a while, but not long later, my monopod beeped. I took it out and opened up the chatroom.

Emnei: So, is everyone done searching now?

Tetsu: I am

Nori: I'm done exploring

Yemon: I think everyone's done now

Emnei: Well, I was hoping we could go check on Renjiro now. Is this a good time?

Akina: Yeah. It's not like there's anything else I need to do

Sashi: I'm fine with now

Emnei: Then let's get going

Renjiro: It would be nice to have some company

Chimon: Well, I'm heading over then

It's time to go see Renjiro. I hope he's doing okay. As Emnei asked, I headed over to the infirmary, where everyone except Gyo Shin and Doryo surrounded Renjiro.

Renjiro: "This isn't necessary at all, but I appreciate the thoughtfulness of you guys. Thanks for taking the time to visit."

Emnei: "No problem. We know you have been through a real tough time lately, but we're here to support you."

Renjiro: "Well, everyone except Doryo and Gyo Shin is here to support me. Doryo is no surprise, but why didn't Gyo Shin come with you guys?"

Akina: "I have no idea; I think she's just in a crappy mood over everything that has happened yesterday."

Renjiro: "Understandable. I mean she basically lost her only close friend."

Sashi: "How are you feeling, Renjiro?"

Renjiro: "It still stings a little, but I feel a lot better than yesterday. My mood is much better in general now that I get to talk to you guys."

Tetsu: "Awww, thanks. Just so you know, our mood is much better now that we get to talk to you as well."

Chimon: "To be honest, that doesn't seem something like you would say."

Renjiro: "True, but not now."

Nori: "What do you mean?"

Renjiro: "My personality is now not of the Ultimate Bodybuilder, but of the Ultimate Painter. I don't want to run away from my past anymore!"

Yemon: "But why would you even hide your Ultimate talent in the first place?"

Renjiro: "Because, in a killing game, you need to be as strong as possible. The thing is, while I'm physically strong due to being the Ultimate Bodybulider, mentally I'm not. So, I tried to make myself look tougher than I really was by acting overly aggressive and hiding my actual talent. I mean, does the Ultimate Painter really sound like a person who is tough enough to survive a killing game? It was a survival tactic. That's why I threatened to beat up people so many times. It's also why I was so harsh to you, Chimon. I'm so sorry for the way I treated you, especially when I punched you during the first class trial."

Chimon: "No, it's my fault for being such an asshole. You only punched me because I said that Marika deserved her execution. I was totally crossing the line there, and I'm sorry."

Renjiro: "But my treatment towards you was way overblown. Even someone like you doesn't deserve to be punched like that. Insisting that you were the killer without any proper evidence was also extremely unnecessary. I'm the one who should apologize."

Nori: "Honestly, I think you both are at fault here. That's why it's great that you two apologized to each other and moved on."

Sashi: "Speaking of; Chimon, didn't you say that you weren't trying to be an asshole and were only trying to survive? That's why you were so cynical towards everyone and refused to cooperate or even interaction with the other students?"

Chimon: "Yeah. But now I realize that if I cooperation and interaction is what's truly necessary for survival. True, I may get betrayed, but that's just a part of life. Rather than avoid people entirely, you should keep a close eye on people and choose not to be friends with those who could betray you. Besides, basic interaction isn't going to get you killed."

Renjiro: "I guess in that way, we're both a little similar. We both acted in a certain way in order to survive the killing game. Guess we aren't so different after all. How about we vow to cooperate with each other and no longer fight?"

Renjiro held out his hand to Chimon. Chimon seemed to be hesitant but shook his hand anyways.

Tetsu: "See, everything is good now. That's why it's best to talk things outs and settle your differences rather than continue to fight with each other. If only everyone could easily do this."

Akina: "Anyways, how much longer are you going to stay in here, Renjiro?"

Renjiro: "Well, I definitely don't feel well enough at the moment. Yemon, how much longer should I stay here?"

Yemon: "You should be well enough to move around two days by now. Until then, you should stay right where you are."

Renjiro: "Okay, bro. I got it."

Yemon: "Anyways, should we leave now?"

Emnei: "Yemon, you should be more caring about your friend. This isn't about you, this is about Renjiro. He might want us to stay a bit longer."

Renjiro: "No, it's fine. If any of you want to leave, you can."

Sashi: "Are you sure you're going to be okay by yourself?"

Renjiro: "Of course. I've already been by myself for several hours now."

Akina: "Well, I guess we should get going then."

Nori: "Goodbye Renjiro. I hope you get well soon."

Renjiro: "Farewell. I hope so too."

After we all said our goodbyes to Renjiro, we went back to our dorm rooms. No long after I laid on my bed, the nighttime announcement came.

Monokuma: "Attention, everyone. It is now 10:00 P.M. As such, it is officially nighttime. Remember that you cannot go to the gym nor the dining hall at night. Murders also cannot be committed during this time, so please wait until the next morning to start killing. Now then, goodnight everyone."

I feel like the more days that pass by, the worse my mental state gets. While I did manage to find at least some clues, none of them give any idea of how we can escape this situation. Hopefully, tomorrow we will find at least some hope to grasp onto.

...

Monokuma: "Good morning everyone. If you heard this announcement, that means that is 7:00 A.M and nighttime is officially over. The dining hall and gym will now be open, and you're free to kill as much as you want. Get ready for another beautiful day in your killing school semester."

There's no time to ponder. I should just check what everyone is up to, get ready, and then go to the dining hall like usual. As such, I brought out my monopod and checked the public chatroom once again.

Nori: Gm

Tetsu: Gm

Emnei: Has anyone seen Doryo today? He seemed to have completely disappeared yesterday

Yemon: Why are we even worrying about a douchebag like him? Who cares what is up with him?

Gyo Shin: But what if he's murdered? That's a big deal, because then we have to deal with another shitty ass class trial

Nori: Calm down, he's not dead

Renjiro: How are you so sure?

Nori: Akina and Yemon told me they found Doryo walking around this morning, so they drugged him, causing him to fall unconscious. They then tied him up in his lab

Akina: Nori, you shouldn't have told anybody about that!

Nori: They needed to know. It's to make sure they don't think anybody is actually murdered

Chimon: It's about time someone did that to him, he's a great danger to everyone at this school

Yemon: Especially after he tried to kill Renjiro. What's to say he won't try to kill him again? Or maybe someone completely different?

Sashi: Yeah. I can't even feel bad for him. He honestly deserves to be tied up like that or worse

Emnei: It truly says how horrible a person is when even someone as nice as Sashi wants them tied up

Tetsu: Anyways, are we heading to the dining hall now?

Gyo Shin: I guess so

Sashi: I'll see you guys there

After turning off my monopod, I got ready and walked towards the dining hall. But right before I came inside the dining hall, I suddenly heard a scream.

Nori: "AHHHHH!!!"

That must be Nori! I better head in fast! But as soon as I ran in, I saw an unexpected sight. Gyo Shin held a knife in her hand, and Nori had a bloody cut on her arm!

Sashi: "Nori! Are you okay!?"

Nori: "Don't worry about me! I got cut, but it's not that deep, so I'll be fine in a little while."

Emnei: "With the way you screamed, you are definitely not okay!"

Nori: "I was just really shocked. It doesn't hurt that bad."

Tetsu: "Nori! We need to get you to the infirmary right away!"

Nori: "No, it's fine, I swear. It's not that serious. Besides, we shouldn't bother Yemon with that kind of stuff."

Yemon: "She's not in any critical danger. A simple band-aid should do the trick."

Nori: "Yeah, I have some in my bathroom. I'll be fine, I promise."

Sashi: "But what about Gyo Shin! She's holding a knife in her hand! Did she attack you, Nori!?"

Gyo Shin: "That bitch got what she deserved! She was disrespecting Chiyo and her murder!"

Nori: "I wasn't! I was just saying the things you did and said about Renora were going way too far!"

Gyo Shin: "Which is basically disrespecting Chiyo! You're defending an awful murderer! You're basically saying it was okay for Renora to kill her!"

Yemon: "Shut the fuck up, Gyo Shin! Stop being a huge bitch about everything!"

Gyo Shin: "Do you know what I'm dealing with right now!? Don't you realize how much Chiyo's death affected me!?"

Yemon: "Listen, I don't give a shit about your personal problems. What I do give a shit about is trying to murder people for petty ass reasons."

Tetsu: "Yemon, I think you're going a bit too far."

Yemon: "Does it look like I care about her feelings, because I don't. Not with the way she's acting right now."

Jesus, it's shocking to see how much Yemon's personality has taken a complete 180. I would never imagine Yemon in a million years saying something so heartless. It's true that Gyo Shin is going way too far, but saying you don't care about the fact that her best friend died? That's honestly a terrible thing to say.

Gyo Shin: "I wasn't even trying to kill her! I was just trying to give her a cut like I just did in order to teach her a fucking lesson!"

Chimon: "That's not that much better."

Emnei: "Why is everyone fighting!? What happened to all of us being friends!?"

Gyo Shin: "None of these people are my friends! They don't care about me as a human being! They don't care about my feelings, or Chiyo!"

Nori: "Gyo Shin, please stop this. I'm not disregarding your feelings at all. Trust me, I'm almost as sad as you about Chiyo's murder. But saying Renora deserved to be executed for what she did is going way too far. Honestly, I think there was more to Renora as a person then what she showed during that trial. If you could stop acting like this, I would happily be your friend."

Gyo Shin: "Whatever! I don't fucking care anymore!"

Gyo Shin stormed out of the dining hall with angry tears, leaving me seriously worried.

Tetsu: "I'm really worried about her. It's really clear that Chiyo's death really affected her. To have your only close friend be murdered so brutally by a person like Renora. It must really have taken a toll on her mental state."

Emnei: "Yeah. We shouldn't blame Gyo Shin! It's the killing game's fault, not hers! If Chiyo was never murdered in the first place, this would have never happened!"

Chimon: "I'm curious. Do you think Gyo Shin has legitimate mental issues? Because while it's clear that the killing game is changing her personality, how suddenly she changes is really shocking. Like nobody in this game has snapped quite like her. Even as early as Fudoki's death, she was acting like a crazy lunatic, making puns about his death."

Akina: "I don't know. If she does have a mental disorder, I have no idea what it is. She's a strange case for sure."

Sashi: "I really wish one of us could get her to snap out of her mental state like Chiyo did. I feel like friends is what she needs best right now. As long as she continues to distrust us, Gyo Shin will continue to act out."

Yemon: "You guys are being surprisingly forgiving when Gyo Shin literally attacked Nori with a knife."

Nori: "It was probably just the heat of the moment. I don't think she was really trying to hurt me that badly."

Tetsu: "Anyways, we should leave her alone for now. We can try to open up to her later."

Sashi: "Yeah. Anyways, let's change the topic. Nori, how is your movie coming along?"

Nori: "Oh, it's been going great. I know you haven't me record much, but I'm mostly doing in private, especially with my friends."

Sashi: "Well, the good news is that my research lab has now opened up! I was thinking maybe I could do a little skit or something in front of your camera. Just to show you my acting skills."

Nori: "That sounds like a wonderful idea. I'll have to come up with the skit myself, as it's my movie. I'll let you know when I'm ready."

Emnei: "Anyways, let's stop rambling and eat already!"

We all began to eat breakfast. As soon as we finished, we headed back to our dorm rooms. Hmmm, what should I talk to today?

FREE TIME START

I guess I'll continue talking to Akina. Just like I figured, she was in her lab, kicking a soccer ball in the air.

Sashi: "Hey, Akina. You want to hang out?"

Akina: "Of course! I was just thinking the same thing! I'm just really shy to ask you for some reason."

Sashi: "What should we do?"

Akina: "You said you don't know much about soccer, right!? In that case, how about I tell you the history of soccer and how it has evolved over time!"

Akina went on a tangent over the history of soccer while I did my best to pay attention.

Akina and I grew a little closer today.

Sashi: "Hey, Akina."

Akina: "Yes?"

Sashi: "Are you ready to talk about why you pretended to hate most women now?"

Akina: "No, I'm sorry. It's just a real heavy topic for real, and I'm not comfortable talking about it yet."

Sashi: "That's fine. We can talk about it whenever we're ready. Wait, I got an idea. How about we talk about something similar? Why do you hate feminine things, Akina?"

Akina: "That's actually something I can answer. The truth is, I haven't really tried many feminine things. I never wore makeup or tried knitting before. Since my parents usually buy all my clothes, I don't shop very often."

Sashi: "But you seem to have an active hatred of these things? Why do you hate feminine hobbies when you never tried them before?"

Akina: "Well, I did try them growing up. During my young childhood, I had virtual no interest in playing with dolls or dressing-up. It's not like I actively hated it, it just wasn't my kind of thing. I was much more interested in soccer and toys meant for boys. Because of this, during my elementary school years, I had very few female friends. Most didn't have the same interests as me, so they didn't get along with me very well. Some even said 'I act like a boy'.

Sashi: "What does that even mean? Are boys supposed to act a certain way?"

Akina: "They're elementary school students. They don't know any better."

Sashi: "Makes sense. Did you have a long of male friends during your childhood instead?"

Akina: "Not really. Like I said, they were elementary school students. Young kids tend to think girls are gross, or weird. They say 'girls have cooties' or whatever. Even those that wanted to be friends with me never talked to me because they thought it was unusual for girls and boys to be friends. But that all changed once I figured out my sexuality. Once everyone figured out my sexuality, people stopped saying I didn't act like a girl. Part of the reason was likely because I was open about my attraction to girls around middle school, which is when people start to act more mature about gender. However, it was more like the comments stop entirely. No one commented on my lack of femininity."

Sashi: "Why though? Even if you are a lesbian, you're still a girl. Like it's good that they stopped making those comments, but I don't get it."

Akina: "Because they all believed that all or most lesbians act stereotypically masculine. They now thought it was normal for me to be into sports and not be into makeup or fashion because I was a lesbian."

Sashi: "What the hell? People actually believe that crap?"

Akina: "Yeah, and it's really fucking stupid. But anyways, because of that, everyone began stereotyping me. They saw me as the 'butch lesbian' and nothing else. While I made a lot more male friends around this time, I had a few female friends as well. But most of my female friends were also lesbians. Like me, they also had no interest in feminine things, were super into sports and often wore male clothing. They basically put me into their 'butch lesbian' friend group. I honestly didn't like them very much. They would often say stuff like 'if you like fashion, you aren't a true lesbian.' Even though their comments were nothing but harmful stereotypes, I believed them wholeheartedly. I began to think that all lesbians should be masculine and dislike feminine things. That's why I started to hate feminine things. In reality, I just don't have much interest in them.

Sashi: "Oh, I see. That makes sense."

Akina: "Anyways, I think we should get going now. I'll talk to you later today. I just want to be in my room for a bit."

Sashi: "Okay, Akina. See ya."

Akina: "Bye."

It really seems like there is a lot more to Akina that meets the eye. I first thought she just hated feminine things because of her misogynistic nature, but the truth is much different. Maybe she actually has a really good reason for her previous behavior? In that case, I would love to know her reasons.

Friendship Fragments 4/6: Akina

After I finished my talk with Akina, I headed back to my dorm room. I decided to rest in my room for a while, but it didn't take long before I got bored again. What should I do now?

FREE TIME START

Since it's already been a few hours, Akina should be willing to talk some more. I wonder if she's still in her room. My question was soon answered when I rang the doorbell, and she came out.

Akina: "Oh, hi Sashi! Do you want to hang out with me or something?"

Sashi: "Figured it out already. Wow, you're perceptive."

Akina: "Not really. I just really wanted to talk to you some more. You basically answered my prayers. Anyways, let's try searching the school one more time. We might have missed some clues."

Me and Akina searched the school from top to bottom.

Akina and I grew a little closer today.

Akina: "Sashi, I think I'm ready to tell you."

Sashi: "Tell me what?"

Akina: "Why I used to be so harsh to the rest of the girls, especially feminine ones like you."

Sashi: "Oh, okay."

Akina: "You might not believe this, but I used to have a girlfriend."

Sashi: "Oh, really? That's amazing."

Akina: "She was a very feminine girl. She always wore makeup and was super into fashion, shopping, and baking. Because of this, nobody knew she was a lesbian, including me. Everyone assumed she was straight due to being particularly girly, even for a female. Having grown up in a very religious and conservative household, she was very closeted. She hadn't told a soul about her sexuality, not even her closet of friends. But me being very open about my attraction to women, she knew I was a lesbian. I had a huge crush on her, but I didn't know her sexuality, and was too shy to ask her out. The thing is, she had a crush on me as well."

Sashi: "Wait, you're actually attracted to feminine girls? That completely contradicts what you used to say about them."

Akina: "Yeah. That was a complete lie. But let me continue my story first."

Sashi: "Okay, I'll wait until you finish."

Akina: "Since we both knew each other well, and she knew I was a lesbian, she decided to ask me out. She suddenly sent a message to me on my social media account asking if we could be in a relationship together. I, of course, happly agreed. Thus, began my relationship with her. We hid it from everyone, as I didn't want anybody else to know about her sexuality. She specifically promised me not to tell anyone, so I obliged. Even when we went on dates, we just acted like friends, never acting romantic in public. But the relationship didn't last."

Sashi: "Why? Did you two break up?"

Akina: "Not...... exactly. It was more like we were forced to separate against our will. One night, her father came home extremely intoxicated. It was during this time when he looked at her phone and saw the messages she sent to me. Being extremely religious and homophobic, he became furious. And what happened next, is completely unbelievable. In a drunken rage, her father accidentally beat my girlfriend to death."

Sashi: "WHAT THE FUCK!!! That's awful! I feel so bad for you both!"

Akina: "As soon as I heard the news, I started bawling. She was the only person I have ever formed a relationship with, and it ended on such a horrible note. I couldn't sleep for several days straight. Just being reminded of her almost gave me PTSD. Once I thought I got over it, I see her best friend at school, I get remined of my girlfriend and start crying, as not only were they together all the time, but they were very similar. Because of this, I knew I had to get over it, but I didn't quite know how. That's when I developed a façade of hating feminine women. I pushed feminine women away from me because they reminded me of my girlfriend."

Wow, I thought maybe her reason was understandable, but to be that tragic and sympathetic, I would never expect it.

Sashi: "Oh, that's rather tragic. The reason you were so harsh on feminine women was because they reminded you of your dead girlfriend."

Akina: "Yeah, this combined with my hatred of feminine things caused me to outright refuse to interact with stereotypically girly girls. In reality, they're actually my type. I'm really attracted to girls with really feminine appearances and interests. That's part of why I pushed them away. I was afraid that I would fall in love again, and then they'll end up dying, and I will be alone and miserable once again. That's why I was so harsh on you in particular. You remind me so much of my girlfriend. Your sweet, kind nature and really pretty appearance."

Sashi: "Hold on. Aren't you basically saying you have a crush on me?"

Akina: "What! NO!!!"

Sashi: "But you said were harsh on me in particular because you're worried about falling in love with me because I'm feminine and remind you of your girlfriend."

Akina: "Forget about it! Forget about what you just heard! Goddamnit, I knew I shouldn't have told anyone about this!"

Instantly, Akina ran away in both anger and sadness, with clear tears in her eyes. Now I'm really worried about her. Will she still be willing to talk to me after this? I don't care that she has a crush on me, but I really want to stay friends.

Friendship Fragments 5/6: Akina

As Akina had already ran away from me, I decided to head back to my dorm room. But after staying in there for a bit, I started to worry about Doryo. Well, not really worry, but more like wonder what he's doing tied up in his lab like that. I wonder if he stays there long enough, he will really change. But he's Doryo. There's no way he's going to be anything other than a huge asshole who stabs people for little reason, right? Maybe I should just go check on him. As much as I don't want to, I feel like I need to see what he's up to. As such, I headed towards his lab. Inside, I saw a truly shocking sight. Doryo was tied up with his arms and legs bound by rope, but right above him was Chimon. And he was beating the crap out of Doryo!

Chimon: "HOW DOES IT FEEL NOW, BITCH!?!"

Doryo: "OW!!!"

Chimon: "You want me to stop, don't you!?"

Doryo: "Yes! Please stop! I get it, okay!"

Chimon: "Then apologize right here and now!"

Doryo: "I'm sorry! I'm sorry for everything I did!"

Chimon: "I don't believe your apology, but I punched you just enough times to satisfy me! Karma is a bitch, ain't it!?"

Doryo: "Please just go away! I'm already tied up; you don't have to beat me up!"

Sashi: "Chimon!? Are you okay!?"

Chimon: "Oh, hi Sashi."

Sashi: "Why did you just beat up Doryo!?"

Chimon: "Because he deserves it. Don't tell me you actually feel sympathy for him."

Sashi: "He's already tied up! Doryo is already receiving punishment for his actions, you don't need to punch him repeatedly in the face! That just makes him hate you even more!"

Chimon: "He's tied up, so it's not like he can do shit to me anyways. But my business here is done, so I'm leaving now. Goodbye."

Chimon then left the scene, leaving me with Doryo. His entire face was bruised, and his nose was bloody. It was not a pretty sight to behold.

Sashi: "Hey, Doryo. Are you alright?"

Doryo: "Why do you care?"

Sashi: "I'm just curious. You aren't seriously injured, are you?"

Doryo: "Naw. I dealt with injuries far worse than this all the time. It's nothing for you to worry about."

Sashi: "Well, I came here just to see how you're doing. Have you been fed properly?"

Doryo: "Yeah, I've already received my three meals of the day."

Sashi: "How long are Yemon and Akina planning to make you tied up here?"

Doryo: "Until they feel like I'm no longer a danger to the other students."

Sashi: "Well, what will happen if we let you out right now. Will you go try to stab somebody again?"

Doryo: "No. I'm too fucking stupid to get away with murder anyways. I will rather stop bullying everyone else if it means I can be set free."

Sashi: "So, you're saying that if we let you go, you will stop bullying and attacking the other students?"

Doryo: "Yeah."

Sashi: "But why should I believe you? You could be lying just to convince me to let you go."

Doryo: "I'm not lying. I've already learned my lesson, so let me go, you bitch."

Sashi: "I'm definitely not going to let you go while you're insulting me like that."

Doryo: "Fine. Can you please let me go?"

Sashi: "Maybe I should inform Akina and Yemon about this first."

Doryo: "Do whatever you like. As long as I get the fuck out of here, I don't give a shit."

So, I decided to open up the public chatroom and send a message.

Sashi: Akina and Yemon, Doryo wants me to let him go. He promises that if I let him go, he will stop attacking people and won't try to kill anyone else. Doryo even says he will stop bullying everyone else. What should I do?

Yemon: Keep him tied up. A bastard like him would never promise a thing like that. He tried to kill my friend, Renjiro. He deserves it

Renjiro: How are we going to know if he's telling the truth if we leave him like that forever?

Yemon: Huh?

Akina: He does have a point. If not now, when are we going to free him? We can't just leave Doryo like that forever you know

Renjiro: Persuasion is key here. If we can get him on our side, then everyone's problems will be solved

Chimon: That might be easier said than done

Tetsu: Yeah, but what's the harm in letting him go? All we have to do is keep a close watch on Doryo. If he breaks his promise, then we can just tie him up again

Emnei: Yeah, I think we should free him

Renjiro: I agree

Akina: I give you permission to free him, Sashi. But please be careful

Sashi: I will, don't worry

Yemon: Fine. While I still think it's a bad idea, if everyone else says otherwise, then I guess I'll have no choice but to let you free him

Sashi: Ok. I'm freeing him now

I closed my monopod and put it away. Looking around the room, I saw a pair of scissors that I assume was left for when Doryo needs to be let free. I decided to grab them and walked over to Doryo.

Sashi: "I got permission from everyone else to let you go. But if you ever break your promise, you're coming right back here, got it?"

Doryo: "I get it! Just cut the fucking ropes already!"

Using my scissors, I cut the ropes bounding Doryo together. Instantly, he got up back to his feet and ran away from his lab. It would have been a nice to at least get a "thank you", but that's probably asking way too much from someone like him. Now that I let him go, I decided to head back to my dorm room. Around a half-hour later, I received another notification from the public chatroom.

Gangster420: Im free now

Nori: Okay, Doryo. What do you have to say to everyone here? What is the promise you made?

Gangster420: Im not gonna tri to kill any one ever again. I relized that I'm to stupid to get away with it any ways

Chimon: That's probably the truest statement that has ever come out of your mouth. The part of you being stupid anyways

Emnei: Does this mean you are on our side now?

Gangster420: Yah. I'm gonna work with u all from know on

Tetsu: Good. It's nice to have you on our side, Doryo

Sashi: It feels like everyone is changing now, for better or worse. Honestly, Doryo is honestly the last of the people I would expect to change

Renjiro: Yeah, it's a rather big development for his character

Doryo: Don't tak thins the rong way. I stil hat u all

Renjiro: Or not. It was rather foolish for me to have high hopes with a guy like Doryo

Yemon: What the hell are you even talking about, Renjiro?

Chimon: It's like we're all fictional characters or something

Nori: Stop it! You're making me question my entire existence! Like is this even the real me!?

Akina: Can we please stop talking about nonsense?

But suddenly, in the middle of our conversation, an announcement came from the monitor.

Monokuma: "Attention, attention! Monokuma has an important announcement to make! Please go to the gym as soon as possible!"

Gym? This can only mean one thing. Monokuma is going to present yet another motive. And a murder will probably happen because of it. I mean, it happened the previous three times, so why wouldn't it happen a fourth time? Not to mention, Yemon, who used to be our true leader in this situation, has suddenly become very cynical. But there's no point in pondering about the future. Right now, I need to head to the gym. As such, I headed towards the gym, where everyone gathered once again.

Yemon: "This must be another motive. There's no other reason for Monokuma to call us here."

Tetsu: "Another motive!? No, I don't want that to be the case! I'm sick of all my friends dying!"

Emnei: "Yeah, me too!"

Gyo Shin: "But there's no point in denying the truth anymore. Monokuma is going to reveal another motive, which is going to result in another murder."

Doryo: "Another murder? Are you fucking shitting me!? This better not be the goddamn case. I'm think of having to deal with all these shitty ass trials. Seriously, just stop killing people. It's not that fucking difficult."

Chimon: "That's a bold statement coming from you."

Doryo: "Well, fuck you then! At least I'm trying to stop myself from killing people, you fucking asshole!"

Chimon: "Yeah, but you never stop being a complete douchebag, do you?"

Yemon: "Just ignore him. There's no point in listening to piece a shit like Doryo."

Nori: "Everyone! You need to stop being so pessimistic! While Monokuma probably is going to announce another motive, it doesn't automatically mean a murder is going to happen because of it! Besides, I will make sure no one else dies ever again!"

Gyo Shin: "That's what Miss Narcissistic Bitch said and look what happened. The person who claimed she was going to prevent any more people from becoming a victim, caused a victim with her own two hands. What's to say you won't follow her example?"

Nori: "What the fuck are you talking about!? I could never kill anyone!"

Gyo Shin: "That's what everyone says. Your useless words aren't going to convince me."

Akina: "Is it just me, or has everyone just lost their fucking mind? It feels like we can't even be together in the same room without another argument happening."

Tetsu: "Seriously, you guys! What happened to everyone being friends and believing in each other!? Is this what everyone who has died would have wanted!? Especially Marika! She promised us to never let any murders happen, and two more ended up happening anyways! It's because you all are so distrustful of one another! Why can't we just get along!?"

Yemon: "Because life isn't that simple. Some people are just too suspicious to trust. It's hard to get along with everyone when so many other students are too obnoxious to willingly interact with. Like, are you seriously telling me I have to friends with pieces of shit like Doryo, Gyo Shin, and Chimon."

Emnei: "Hey, I understand the others, but why did you put Chimon on that list!? If anybody else deserves to be called a piece of shit, it's you!"

Yemon: "Wow, I would have never heard something so rude from a person like you. What's wrong? Is someone else starting to snap as well? Are you going to suddenly turn into a gigantic asshole?"

Emnei: "No! I'm sorry, okay! That was rude of me!"

Everyone just won't stop arguing. How on earth am I going to stop this mess? Will people if listen to me if I try to tell everyone to stop fighting? But I guess I should give it a shot anyways.

Sashi: "Everyone, please stop all this bickering! All this fighting is just pointless!"

Nori: "Sashi is right! You all want to stop murders from happening, correct? Then stop fighting! Fights are what leads to murders! Monokuma hasn't even presented the motive yet, and you all are on each other's throats!

Akina: "I don't mean to be rude here, but everyone please shut the fuck up! Let's all just calm the fuck down and let Monokuma present his motive already!"

Chimon: "Says the person screaming at the top of her lungs."

Yemon: "Fine. I guess I'll just stay quiet now. A piece of shit like me has nothing worthwhile to say anyways."

Emnei: "Yeah, I need to stay quiet. All this fighting has really upset me, and it caused me to lash out at Yemon."

Monokuma: "Awww, are you guys done fighting already?"

Doryo: "Yes, now present the goddamn motive already. We're waiting."

Monokuma: "I was really entertaining by all the shouting at each other. I even thought that if this continued, it would eventually lead to a murder. Then I wouldn't even need to present a motive in the first place. But I've already got the motive prepared, so no need to be upset about it."

Tetsu: "What is it this time?"

Monokuma: "I've noticed the reason why so many of you aren't willing to murder. It's because you're too close to each other! You also have too much entertainment in this place! All the buildings I keep opening up are just giving you guys more and more things to do, giving you even more reason to live! Eventually, this place is going to become a paradise that you guys would kill to stay in rather than leave!"

Sashi: "I highly doubt that will ever happen."

Monokuma: "Anyways, I've decided to provide a counter-measurement to all the fun you guys are having with each other."

Yeah, we were having so much fun when were yelling and fighting with each other.

Monokuma: "What you guys need is more akin to a prison. But not just any prison. An old-fashioned type of jail where you are locked up in a single room, with absolutely nothing to do except sleep and daydream! No entertainment whatsoever!"

Akina: "What exactly kind of prison are we staying in? Where are we going to be locked up?"

Monokuma: "Your own rooms! From now on, if you ever try to escape your dorm rooms without permission, you will be punished on the spot!"

Nori: "What!? You expect us to just stay in our rooms doing nothing!?"

Monokuma: "Puhuhuhu. That's exactly what I expect. Pretty cruel, huh?"

Yemon: "Is this going to be a new rule?"

Monokuma: "Eh, probably not. It's only lasts until the next murder occurs, while the rules are supposed to apply for the entire killing school trip. Any rules for this particular situation will be under the motive section of your monopod."

Emnei: "What about food!? If we can't go to the dining hall, how do you expect us to eat!?"

Monokuma: "Don't worry! Monokuma's Special Catering Services will deliver you three meals to your room every day! But you don't get to choose what kind of food you get! My food, my choice! It can range from something as delightful as a juicy hamburger with bacon inside, or something as horrid as pineapple on pizza!"

Gyo Shin: "NOT THE HAWIIANS!!!"

Akina: "I would rather eat gruel!"

Sashi: "That's a controversial statement."

Monopup: "Excuse me, boss. How is pineapple on pizza horrid? I find it rather delicious."

Monokuma: "Shut the fuck up! Nobody is allowed to have their own opinion regarding food! This is why nobody likes you, Monopup!"

Monopup: "Why are you so mean to me!?"

Chimon: "Anyways, so are we going to be trapped in our rooms at all times?"

Monokuma: "Of course not! If I did that, you guys would have no opportunity to kill each other. So, here's the deal, every day, from 1 to 4 PM, you will be allowed to leave your dorm rooms and do whatever the hell you want. But you have to return before 4 PM. Or else everyone will be punished! Use this time wisely, as you only have a few hours to carry out your murder plans!"

Emnei: "What about the chatrooms? We could easily occupy ourselves by talking to everyone on there."

Monokuma: "Those will also be turned off except during your freetime!"

Nori: "NO!!! How am I going to fuel my desire for socialization now!?"

Tetsu: "And I was finally making friends with people for once. What a shame this all is."

Yemon: "But what happens if we do commit murder? Will everything go back to normal?"

Monokuma: "Yep, as per usual. Once a murder occurs, you guys will have free roam of the school once again. But it's pretty pointless since you are either going to be dead or have escaped from the school by then."

Sashi: "So this motive isn't more like another reason for someone to murder other than to escape, but to fuel the existing desire to leave the school. In that way, it really is like a prison. Many prisoners would happily murder to escape jail."

Monokuma: "That's exactly it! Ahahahaha!"

Doryo: "Well, I've already been to prison before, so I guess this isn't that much different. I'm pretty much enemies with everyone here anyways."

Chimon: "I guess that's one person who isn't very affected by the motive. Ironically, the most untrustworthy and violent person is probably the least likely to kill someone in this current situation."

Nori: "Is that all there is to it?"

Monokuma: "Actually, no. This time, I've decided to present two motives!"

Akina: "Two!?"

Monokuma: "Remember how I talked about how you guys don't want to kill each other because of you guys have too much entertainment and friends? Well, the first motive covers the entertainment part. It also sorts of covers the part regarding your friends a little bit. But I've got another motive that specifically has to do with the strong relationships you formed with the other students! The reason so many of you people refuse to kill is because you don't want any of your friends to get executed. After all, choosing everyone to die except you just to escape from the school isn't the easiest decision to make. In that case, I got a solution for you all!

Tetsu: "Wait, will nobody except the killer be executed at the class trial!? Will we be able to survive even if we make the wrong decision? In that case, we can just choose wrong and let our friend escape this horrible situation without anybody else dying!"

Monokuma: "Of course not! You think way too highly of me! If I did a motive like that, then the outcome would be inevitable. You guys would just choose an obviously wrong subject to allow them to escape, as you just said. Which is really boring. Not to mention, there would be no intention and excitement since there would be no punishment if a person made a wrong decision. My motive is much tamer than that."

Tetsu: "Silly me for actually having hope in a situation like this."

Monokuma: "Here's the deal: If any of you manage to kill someone and get away with it at the class trial, you're allowed to graduate along exactly one other person. Everyone else gets executed. Even if they aren't involved in the case at hand, you're allowed to graduate with them. And I don't get to pick who survives with you, the blackened does."

Emnei: "I guess that's kind of both a good thing and a bad thing. One on hand, that's going to make one of us more likely to kill another. On the other hand, even if we make the wrong decision, at least one of us gets to survive with them."

Doryo: "Stop saying shit like that. It makes you kind of suspicious."

Emnei: "What are you talking about!? It's not like I'm going to kill someone just so I can escape along with another person! I'm just trying to be optimistic!"

Yemon: "Hold on, I have another question. During our freetime, are we allowed to bring something to our room to use even when we are trapped inside? Like a sketchbook to draw on while we are stuck in our rooms, for example."

Monokuma: "Of course not! Anyone who does that will be punished immediately!"

Yemon: "I figured. So much for that idea."

Monokuma: "Also, one more thing, the motive doesn't officially start until ten minutes after nighttime, so don't worry about breaking the rules until then. Anyways, I'm pretty much done here. Do any of you people have any other questions?"

Nobody said a word. It seems we were all done with the questions.

Monokuma: "Then it seems my business here is done! Have fun killing, everyone!"

Monokuma left the scene, leaving a heavy atmosphere in the gym once again. Just like the last times a motive was revealed, except maybe for the one involving college applications.

Akina: "What the fuck am I going to do now!? How am I supposed to enjoy life when most of it is just doing absolutely nothing!? It's not like I can just sleep until our free time arrives!"

Emnei: "It's going to be really hard living from now on. Will I ever get used to it?"

Gyo Shin: "Hahahaha. Now, I have absolutely no reason to live."

Tetsu: "Gyo Shin, what are you saying!?"

Gyo Shin: "I already wanted to die ever since Chiyo was murdered! Now, when I have nothing to keep my mind off of my suicidal thoughts, I might as well just end it right now!"

Sashi: "Gyo Shin, no! You can't kill yourself! Your life is too valuable!"

Gyo Shin: "But what's the fuck the point of living anymore!? Even if I wait until someone gets murdered, because you know it will happen, I will have to deal with another shitty ass trial again! A trial where it's possible that I will get brutally executed along with everyone else besides the blackened! Rather than suffer a cruel and unusual punishment by Monokuma, shouldn't I just kill myself using a quick and easy method!?"

Emnei: "Gyo Shin! Please don't do it! I don't want to see anyone else die!"

Gyo Shin: "It's too late. I can't be saved anymore. I can't even pretend to be happy like I used to. My life is meaningless. Time to go think about ending in all while crying in my pillow."

Gyo Shin walked out of the gym before we could convince her.

Nori: "This is my fault, isn't it!? It's all because I couldn't stop Chiyo from dying using my position as a co-leader! And then I tried to defend Renora, which just made Gyo Shin feel even worse! If she kills herself, I'm going to forever feel guilty!"

Chimon: "Stop it Nori. This isn't your fault, nor Gyo Shin's fault. It's the killing game's fault. It's what puts thoughts like suicide and murder into our brains. If we weren't in this situation, none of us would have ever killed each other, except maybe Doryo. He's probably already killed someone."

Doryo: "How presumptuous of you. Wait, what does presumptuous even mean?"

Akina: "You used the word without even knowing what it means!? In that case, I'm surprised you managed to use in a sentence that makes sense."

Sashi: "Chimon's right. Don't try to blame yourself for this, Nori."

Nori: "I'm still really worried about Gyo Shin, though. What if she actually goes through with it? And it's not like we can stop her because of the new motive. If she decides to bring a knife in her room and slit herself with it, there's nothing we can do to prevent it."

Chimon: "But I thought we weren't allowed to bring stuff in our rooms."

Monokuma: "Not if it's used for suicide!"

Sashi: "Can you please stop popping into our conversation out of nowhere?"

Monokuma: "Sorry, no can do. Whenever I see you guys even have a glimmer of hope, I just have to butt in to give you guys despair once again!

Emnei: "Still, what are we going to do? It feels like nothing we could do would ever prevent another person from dying."

Tetsu: "Yemon, do you have any ideas? You used to lead us, remember? You were the one who came up with the whole party idea, and it almost worked, if it wasn't for Fudoki."

Yemon: "There's nothing that can be done."

Tetsu: "That's not true!"

Yemon: "It is. No matter what we do, a murder will happen. As much as I would like to prevent anyone from dying, it's not that easy."

Akina: "I miss the old Yemon. The Yemon that would always encourage us and try to think of ways to stop murders. This just isn't like you."

Yemon: "Or perhaps you just didn't know the real me all along? Maybe I don't know who I truly am at this point."

Chimon: "Now that Nori has now vowed to be our new leader, does she have any ideas?"

Nori: "I think this is the best time for us to become really close to each other. As we don't have much free time, the few instances where we aren't stuck in our rooms, we should spend to deepen our bonds. I just feel that as the days are going by, our bonds with each other are diminishing. That's what often leads to murder."

Doryo: "Fuck that. I don't want to be friends with any of you people."

Emnei: "Didn't you say you were going to cooperate with us from now on?"

Doryo: "I mean, that's what I personally think, but if you all agree with Nori here, then I have no choice but to follow."

Tetsu: "That's more like it."

Sashi: "Not to mention, Renjiro should be well enough to finally leave the infirmary, so we should at least try to survive until then."

Emnei: "That's true. Maybe Renjiro has any better ideas on what we should do anyways.

Chimon: "Do you have any ideas on how we can stay friends, Nori?"

Nori: "I'll have to think about it. Until then, I think we should go to our dorm rooms now. We need to be prepared for long periods of time where there's nothing we can do."

Akina: "Then I'm going back to my dorm room. Goodnight everyone."

We all went out of the gym and headed back to our dorm rooms. After I entered my dorm room, the nighttime announcement came.

Monokuma: "Attention, everyone. It is now 10:00 P.M. As such, it is officially nighttime. Remember that you cannot go to the gym nor the dining hall at night. Murders also cannot be committed during this time, so please wait until the next morning to start killing. Now then, goodnight everyone."

So, this is what Monokuma had in mind for the next motive. It's certainly more painful to deal with then the previous two motives. I mean, with the college applications and secrets, I had nothing to gain or lose by those motives, so it didn't really affect me other than being more worried about murders occurring. This is way different. At least with the first motive, there's the possibility that Monokuma was lying about saying he was going to kill our family members. This time, it's real. We are truly stuck in our rooms, doing absolutely nothing for long periods of time. I guess I better go to sleep now, so at least I have something to do during this horrible change of events.

.....

Monokuma: "Good morning everyone. If you heard this announcement, that means that is 7:00 A.M and nighttime is officially over. The dining hall and gym will now be open, and you're free to kill as much as you want. Get ready for another beautiful day in your killing school semester."

It's morning, not like that means much. The chatrooms are closed down, and I can't head to the dining hall, so I guess I'll just stay in my bed. I guess this is the time to entertain myself with my own daydreaming. Hmmm, what should I think about? Murder? No, no. I can't think about that! If I daydream about people killing each other, I'll never be able to deal with this! I'll forever be unhappy! But no matter what I did, the thoughts of someone killing another kept reaching into my thoughts. Without any friends to talk to or any things to do, there was nothing to keep my mind off the horrible situation we were in. The hours passed by at an incredibly slow rate. It was both extremely boring and depressing. Just like Monokuma said, a few meals were brought at my doorstep, but it didn't taste very good. It was nothing like Nori's cooking, so it just made even more upset. Eventually, after what felt like what forever, the clock in my room finally hit 1 PM. I guess before I do anything else, I should check in the public chatroom like I used to do in the morning.

Nori: FINALLY

Akina: God, that was absolute torture

Emnei: I can't tell if this is better or worse than an actual prison. What do you think, Doryo?

Doryo: Eh. You certainly have a much better room that you are held up in, and the food is at least slightly better. But it's way more boring. You may have to deal with tedious manual labor at prison, but at least it keeps you occupied

Chimon: Is it just me, or did your spelling and grammar suddenly became marginally better?

Doryo: I eventually realized I couldn't even read my own texts, so I decided to spend the time I spent locked up on here to practice my spelling. It was annoying as shit, but now I don't have to look like a complete dumbass whenever I start typing

Chimon: Your texts can't make you look like a complete dumbass when you already are a complete dumbass

Doryo: FUCK YOU

Chimon: Ik you aren't going to hurt me, so I can insult you all I want. It's honestly a lot of fun

Emnei; So, what are we going to do now?

Renjiro: Hey everyone, did you forget about me?

Yemon: Oh yeah. You're finally able to leave the infirmary today

Renjiro: Yep. I read the motive section of my new monopod, so Ik what kind of situation you guys are all in. So how about I cheer you all up by letting you see me out of my hospital bed? We should all meet in the dining hall.

Nori: I'm heading over rn. I'm tired of staying in my room

Sashi: See you guys there

Renjiro has finally recovered! It's going to be nice to see him walking on his own two legs again. Exciting by the news, I headed over to the dining hall, where I saw Renjiro in the middle of the room, surrounded by everyone else. He looked the same as usual, except his chest was bandaged up and he looked much less muscular than before. All that time laying on the hospital bed must have put a tamper on his fitness. The Ultimate Bodybuilder is the kind of person who needs to exercise several hours a day.

Sashi: "Hello, Renjiro! It's nice to see you again! How are you feeling now!?"

Renjiro: "I'm pretty much all good now. My wound doesn't hurt anymore, so I feel completely fine."

Tetsu: "That's wonderful news. I'm so happy for you, Renjiro."

Renjiro: "Yep. I already said this before, but I'm completely abandoning my Ultimate Bodybuilder persona. I'm going to embrace my true self as the Ultimate Painter!"

Doryo: "You're such a fucking pussy."

Renjiro: "Doryo, can you please refrain from making such comments? They really hurt my self-esteem."

Emnei: "You really have changed Renjiro. I could no way see your previous self being so nice to Doryo after he insulted you. Especially since he literally tried to attack you."

Renjiro: "I try to be nice to everyone, even those that I don't like, because that just makes more enemies. If you treat everyone with respect, they will start to respect you back. Well, I'm not sure if Doryo will ever start respecting me, but I'm just trying not to make our relationship worse than it already is."

Akina: "I wish I could be like that. But I'm way too temperamental and rude to be kind to my enemies."

Sashi: "Yeah, I can definitely see that."

Yemon: "Wait, a second, wasn't Gyo Shin here just a few minutes ago?"

Renjiro: "She must have left on her own."

Nori: "That's not good. I've been really worried about her as of recently, so I don't like it when she's alone."

Tetsu: "Especially how she was in the dining hall just a second ago, and now she suddenly left. We should go look for her. I have a bad feeling about this."

Chimon: "I think you guys are being too paranoid but whatever you say."

Renjiro: "Let's try looking around nearby."

We dashed out of the dining hall and headed outside. As we looked in the other direction, we saw Gyo Shin heading towards her dorm room. And there was something in her hand. It was a knife!

Emnei: "Gyo Shin!? What are you doing with that knife!?"

Akina: "We have to run after her! We have to stop Gyo Shin before she locks herself in her room!"

Akina, Renjiro, and Yemon practically dashed ahead of us, as their athletic ability allowed them to quickly run in front of Gyo Shin.

Renjiro: "Gyo Shin, I don't know what you're going to with that knife, but you better stop it right now!"

Gyo Shin: "Why are you trying to stop me!? It's all pointless! I just want to end it right here and now! Just get the fuck out of the way!"

Akina: "I can't do that! I could never let you kill yourself."

Sashi: "Gyo Shin, please stop what you're doing! You can't kill yourself! Things can still change! Your life still has meaning, you just have to find it!"

Gyo Shin tried to push Akina, who was blocking her dorm room, away, but it was no use. She just kept resisting.

Gyo Shin: "Fine then! I guess I'll just have to do it right here and now! Right in front of everyone!"

Gyo Shin grabbed her knife and tried to bring it down to her wrist. But right before it hit it, Renjiro grabbed the knife from Gyo Shin's hand.

Renjiro: "I'm not letting you do this, Gyo Shin."

Gyo Shin: "Why!? Everyone would be better off with me dead, not just me! My existence is meaningless! What's the point in living when your life is complete torture!?"

Sashi: "Gyo Shin. Is this what Chiyo would have wanted? Would she have wanted you to kill yourself!"

Gyo Shin: "No, but this isn't about her! This is about me!"

Chimon: "That makes you sound really selfish. You true were very close. In fact, her death is what caused your suicidal tendencies in the first place, am I wrong? So, it is about her."

Nori: "Chiyo, even in her final moments of life, I bet she wanted you to survive, no matter what. Knowing that, how could you kill yourself now? And it's not just about her. What about everyone else? Is there really nobody else who would be saddened about your death? What about your family and friends? Anybody you were close with? How would they feel if you suddenly decided to kill yourself?"

Gyo Shin: "That may be all true, but that doesn't change how awful my life is!? How am I supposed to live on when life is this terrible!? What's the point in living!?"

Renjiro: "Gyo Shin, isn't Chiyo what saved you? What allowed you to handle this killing game? Maybe having friends is what you needed all along. We need to save you, just like Chiyo."

Gyo Shin: "How are you even going to do that?"

Emnei: "If you want to be saved, then you have to cooperate and interact with us. Friendships don't come about if you continue to distrust and ignore the others. By lashing out at everyone around you, you're just worsening your situation."

Gyo Shin: "I guess that's true. Maybe I should survive, just for a little bit longer. If I try to kill myself now, then I would be unfaithful to Chiyo's wishes."

Yemon: "Are you good now?"

Gyo Shin: "No, but I guess I'll try to persevere just a little bit longer."

Tetsu: "That makes me really happy."

Gyo Shin: "Can I please have some alone time now?"

Renjiro: "Of course."

Gyo Shin headed back to her dorm room. Eventually, we went our separate ways and heading towards our dorm rooms as well. I only have so much time left before 4 PM, so I better try to make use of my time the best I can. What should I do?

FREE TIME START

I guess I'll talk to Akina one more time. Hopefully she will be willing to talk to me after what happened last time. Once I headed to her lab, I noticed that she was doing push-ups in the grass.

Sashi: "Hey, Akina. Is it okay if we hung out again?"

Akina: "Wait, really!? You're not mad at me, or anything!?"

Sashi: "No, I just want to talk."

Akina: "That's good. In any case, how about you join me? I want to see how many push-ups you can do!"

I struggled severely to do push-ups while Akina encouraged me.

Akina and I grew a little closer today.

Akina: "Listen, Sashi. I'm really sorry about what happened last time. I really don't want this to hurt our friendship."

Sashi: "It's fine. I don't really care that much about what you think about me, as long as it doesn't interfere with our relationship."

Akina: "Why aren't you angry at me!? God, you're so fucking confusing!"

Sashi: "Why would I be? It's not like it really means anything at the end of the day."

Akina: "I guess."

Sashi: "Listen, Akina. I just have to make this clear right out of the gate. I don't want to be in a relationship at the moment. We are just friends."

Akina: "At the moment!?"

Sashi: "Whatever happens, happens. But right now, we are just friends. Don't try to get your hopes up."

Akina: "That's perfectly fine. It's probably best if I don't get in another relationship right away. I don't think I'm ready to do that after what happened with my previous girlfriend."

Sashi: "That's good then."

Akina: "Sashi, can I be honest with something?"

Sashi: "Of course. What is it?"

Akina: "Ever since I become this butch lesbian stereotype, I have been rejecting feminine things. But the thing is, I haven't really tried any girly hobbies that much. I feel like I'm personally restricting myself. Not allowing me to be my true self."

Sashi: "But I thought you said you were into more stereotypically masculine interests anyways?"

Akina: "I am, to some extent. However, that doesn't mean I should restrict myself completely to those types of things. There are still some things I have never tried. I have never put on makeup, so can I truly say that I don't like it? I haven't really worn a dress in years, either. Maybe it would look good on me?"

Sashi: "Are you saying you would like to try doing that sometime?"

Akina: "Yeah, to be honest. Sashi, you're actually my first stereotypically girly friend. And it makes me feel very disconnected from you. It makes me wonder why we're so close. We're almost nothing alike. But maybe I should change that."

Sashi: "Akina, I'm happy with just the way you are. You shouldn't be pressured to do anything just to be more like your friends. I don't like you because we have similar interests and hobbies. That's not what having friends are about. I like you because of your personality. People should learn to have friends that have a variety of different interests, personalities, and hobbies, even if it's drastically different then their own. If all of your friends were the same as you, that would be quite boring. Just because we're different doesn't mean we can't be friends."

Akina: "Yeah, I know all of that. I'm not being pressured to do anything. Still, I want to try the same things that you enjoy. Maybe I'm not just a tomboy after all. I just want to see who I truly am. If you can play soccer with me even if you don't really enjoy it, then I should try shopping with you. Wait, do you even like shopping? I don't want to assume."

Sashi: "Yeah, I do. Especially for clothes."

Akina: "That's what I thought. Sashi, you have really helped me. Thanks to you, I have really learned to move on from my past and head towards a new future. A new future of shopping and fashion. Maybe I should even try acting with you on the side!"

Sashi: "I don't even think it would be something you would be into."

Akina: "Hey, you never know until you try, right?"

Sashi: "Still, acting is more than a hobby, it's a profession. Film producers don't just hire random people because they want to try acting."

Akina: "Well, not as an actual career. I just want to practice with you, in a place that isn't a film studio. Who knows? Maybe I'm really good at it."

Sashi: "It seems like we have a lot to do together once we get out of here."

Akina: "Yeah, which is why I fucking hate being stuck in here! I have tons of things I still want to do and so many friends I want to talk to outside the school! But even if I don't make it, it was nice that I got to know you. Just becoming close friends with a girl like you has made this whole situation a lot better. It was wonderful getting to know you, Sashi."

Sashi: "It was wonderful getting to know you as well, Akina."

Akina is someone that has really grown on me. I originally hated her, but now she has become a close friend of mine. It's true, people really do change. Not to mention, after learning her backstory and Akina as a person in general, I realize that there is a lot more to her than what was seen when I first met her. That's why you should never judge a book by its cover. We have truly become close friends in every sense of the word. There is nothing that can break our bond.

Friendship Fragments 6/6: Akina

After I finished talking with Akina, I headed back to my room. Just like last time, I spent the long-excruciating hours until nighttime doing absolutely nothing but laying in my bed and daydreaming. After what felt like forever, the nighttime announcement finally came.

Monokuma: "Attention, everyone. It is now 10:00 P.M. As such, it is officially nighttime. Remember that you cannot go to the gym nor the dining hall at night. Murders also cannot be committed during this time, so please wait until the next morning to start killing. Now then, goodnight everyone."

Another day has gone by, and it's the first full day since the motive was first introduced. It hasn't seemed to have really affected anybody yet, but maybe that will change once another day passes by? I guess I'll just have to wait until tomorrow to find out. After pondering a bit more, I drifted off into a restless sleep once again.

...

Monokuma: "Good morning everyone. If you heard this announcement, that means that is 7:00 A.M and nighttime is officially over. The dining hall and gym will now be open, and you're free to kill as much as you want. Get ready for another beautiful day in your killing school semester."

Another day in this prison of this school has begun. What am I going to do while I'm waiting until 1 PM? How long am I going to have to deal with this bullshit? It's such a dilemma. On one hand, having to be trapped in my dorm room for 21 hours a day, doing absolutely nothing is awful. But on the same time, I don't want anymore of my friends to die. And there's always the chance of me dying in the next class trial. It feels like no matter what we do, the outcome is bad. Am I just going to have to handle living like this for the rest of my life? Is there really no escape from this place? We have seen almost the entire school, and there seemed to be no exits anywhere. Even if we solve the mystery of this academy, what will that even result in?

Sashi: "DAMMIT!!! I JUST WANT TO GET OUT OF HERE!!!"

I screamed as loud as I possibly could into my pillow. But since the rooms are soundproof, no one could hear my cries for help. Not that they could help me considering the situation. I spent the next couple hours crying, screaming, and thinking depressing thoughts until finally 1 AM reached. Like usual, I tried checking into the public chatroom.

Akina: This is absolute torture

Yemon: Yeah, I hate it too

Nori: Cheer up everyone. At least we now have time to talk to each other now

Renjiro: Nori, do you have any ideas on how we can bond with each other like you wanted us to? Like you said, if we are all friendly with each other, there will be no murders

Nori: I do have an idea, but we have to do it tomorrow

Emnei: What do you have in mind?

Nori: You know that movie I was directing using footage of you all? Well, I'm almost done with it. I figure by tomorrow; I'll be ready to show you my film. I just need to edit a few things and I'm good to go

Tetsu: That sounds like a wonderful idea. Where are we going to see it?

Nori: In my lab of course. There's a projector in there that I can show my movie on. How about we all meet in there at 1:50 AM tomorrow?

Chimon: Sounds good. It also serves as a way for us to keep watch on each other, preventing anybody from committing murder

Nori: That's also true

Yemon: But it's only for a short period of time. One could easily kill another after the film is over. It's not like there's a time limit to our motive like the one we received first. A murder can happen at any time, so it doesn't really mean much in the end

Nori: I guess that's also true. It's really a shame. I guess in that case, you don't have to participate. If you don't want to watch my movie, you don't have to. It's only recommended that you visit my lab, not a requirement

Gyo Shin: It's still important to keep in mind that everyone who watches the movie has an alibi, in case a murder does occur

Akina: Is that foreshadowing!?

Nori: We should stop thinking about murder, everyone. This is a nice time for us to bond with each other. Don't you all want to see the film I created? Rather than thinking about our friends dying, why don't you think about watching my movie with your friends.

Tetsu: That's exactly what I'm trying not to think about. I hate the possibility of having more of my friends dying

Renjiro: Yeah. I don't want to think about murder anymore. Although, it's hard to forget about it when we are in a killing school trip

Sashi: I think we should change the topic. Wait a minute, I have a question. Weren't you supposed to write up a scene for me to do, Nori?

Nori: Yeah, but that was before the motive was introduced. Considering what had happened, I was too upset to brainstorm skit ideas. Besides, there wasn't enough time. We only get three hours of free time a day

Tetsu: Couldn't you have just postponed the screening of your film

Nori: I already came up with the date beforehand. Deadlines help you get things done. Besides, my movie is already long enough anyways

Sashi: I see. That's a shame, but I understand

Emnei: How long is it?

Nori: Approximately 1 hour and 50 minutes

Chimon: That's really long. Long enough to suit a feature film

Yemon: Did you really manage to direct a film that long with just random footage of us?

Nori: Yep. There was a lot of dialogue to record. Whenever there was an interesting topic that I was talking about with one of you guys, I decided to bring out my camera and record it

Akina: So, this movie doesn't really have a premise, correct? It's just random clips of us talking with each other.

Nori: Yep! Better, or for worse, I include a lot of clips that include Chiyo and Renora in it! That's so we never forget about them and their deaths

Gyo Shin: No thanks. I don't want to see Miss Narcissistic Bitch's face ever again

Yemon: Me either. Fuck her

Nori: So, you guys seriously aren't going to watch my film just because it has Renora in it!?

Yemon: I'll still watch it, but I'm not going to enjoy the part where she comes up on screen

Gyo Shin: Fuck no. I don't want to see your dumbass film anyways. All it's going to do is remind me of Chiyo's death!

Nori: But don't you want to see your friend again, Gyo Shin?

Gyo Shin: What's the point in seeing my friend again when I know she's already dead!?

Nori: Well, you don't have to watch the film if you don't want to. Is there anybody else that isn't coming to my lab tomorrow?

Tetsu: I'm not, sorry. Just seeing my dead friends is just going to make me cry. I'm not going to enjoy it at all. It's my fault for being so emotional

Renjiro: It's not your fault at all, Tetsu. It's normal to have emotions. Some people are just more emotional than others. If you cry at seeing footage of your now-dead friends, it just shows that you are a really good person

Tetsu: Yeah, I guess so

Nori: Is there anybody else that's not watching my movie?

Doryo: I'm just staying in my room. I don't want to watch no fucking movie of yours

Nori: Well, that was to be expected

Emnei: I was originally going to come, but now that Tetsu's not coming, I'm worried about her, so I think I'll watch over her

Tetsu: Emnei, you really don't have to! If you want to watch the movie, go for it! Don't worry about me!

Emnei: I can't not worry about you. You're my friend, Tetsu. How about we both do something together?

Tetsu: Fine, if you insist

Chimon: So Tetsu, Emnei, Doryo, and Gyo Shin aren't going to watch the movie tomorrow. That's good to note

Nori: Yep, well that's basically all I came here to say

Sashi: It seems like there's nothing else important you guys have to say, so I'm going to get going now. Bye everyone

Nori's showing her film tomorrow. That sounds exciting. I can't wait for that. But that's just for tomorrow. What should I do today?

FREE TIME START

I should really talk to Emnei. He was the first student I really bonded with at this school. But after making so many other friends, I haven't really had the chance to really have a face-to-face discussion with him in a while. So, I walked over to his lab, where he was working on his new Robo Justice manga.

Sashi: "Hey, Emnei."

Emnei: "Oh, hello Sashi. It's been a long time since we've talked to each other face-to-face."

Sashi: "Yeah, which is why I was wondering if we could hang out today."

Emnei: "Sure. How about I show you what I've been working on these past few days? I managed to write up a couple chapters for my next Robo Justice manga."

Emnei showed his new Robo Justice manga while I stared in interest.

Emnei and I grew a little closer today.

Emnei: "Hey, Sashi. Do you ever have a goal in life that you want to reach before you die?"

Sashi: "That's a rather deep question, but I guess so. My goal is just to live a happy and fulfilling life. It's nothing in particular."

Emnei: "Really? You have no goals you want to make in your acting career? It seems like a very important aspect of your life."

Sashi: "Anything I've ever wanted in my life and career has already been gained. In fact, I might have gained a bit too much."

Emnei: "What do you mean? Is there really a such thing as gaining too much?"

Sashi: "I never really wanted this much fame and fortune. All I wanted to do was make a living on what I love most, acting. I didn't care how much money I earned or how popular I get as long as it makes me happy."

Emnei: "I guess I can see that. There's lots of negative aspects to being famous. If you get too popular, it's easy for a single lie to ruin your entire reputation and career."

Sashi: "Yeah. Luckily, that hasn't really happened to me yet. I already talked about this before, but the sheer number of fans I have is ridiculous. It's hard to leave my home without being surround by them. I only have so much time. I can't just sign the autograph of every fan I come across."

Emnei: "Yep. That's why I'm glad not a lot of people in public know me. I rarely show my face online, so even those that know my work usually don't know what I look like. My career isn't a one that involves me putting my face up in a camera like yours. People tend to know me by my work rather than my personality."

Sashi: "So, you don't want to be famous like me?"

Emnei: "Definitely not. Just like you, I don't write manga for fame and fortune. I just do it because I enjoy it, and I like making people happy with my work."

Sashi: "Anyways, I think we've gotten way off-topic here. You were talking about life goals originally?"

Emnei: "Yeah. Sorry about that. I don't normally get sidetracked so easily."

Sashi: "You don't need to apologize about that. I'm the one who started this whole conversation about being famous anyways."

Emnei: "Sorry for apologizing then."

Sashi: "You really do apologize a lot, don't you?"

Emnei: "Yeah."

Sashi: "Jesus, can we ever stay on one topic? Now we're talking about how much you apologize."

Emnei: "Maybe it's just because we have such a great time talking to each other that we tend to drag out conversations."

Sashi: "Well, that's also true."

Emnei: "Anyways, the reason I brought up life goals, is because I have one. The thing is, I'm happy with just writing manga, but I want to expand beyond that. I also want to create my own anime based on the Robo Justice series I created."

Sashi: "Really? That's awesome!"

Emnei: "If you say so."

Sashi: "Well, if you ever do so, I would love to see it!"

Emnei: "I'm sure you would. The thing is, I know creating anime is a way more difficult process than just writing manga comics. That's why I'm studying computer animation. I'm not sure how good I'm going to be at it, but you never know until you try."

Sashi: "Doesn't some anime use traditional animation though? In that case, you could easily direct a Robo Justice anime."

Emnei: "Not in this day and age. Most anime now uses computer animation. Those that still use traditional animation tend to be much less popular."

Sashi: "Well, I think this is a very good life goal for you to have. Anyways, I need to get going soon. It was nice talking to you, Emnei."

Emnei: "It was nice talking to you too. Goodbye."

Emnei is a really nice guy, and I love talking to him. He may be a bit nerdy, but I hardly see that as a bad thing. I like hearing him talk about anime and manga because I can tell he's really passionate about it. I can't wait to learn more about him.

Friendship Fragments 3/6: Emnei

After talking with Emnei, I walked back to my room. Once again, I guess I just have to wait until the nighttime announcement comes. Well, it seems that nobody has died yet. I guess that's good thing, but it never stays like that for long. A body is going to show up sooner or later. Even if the motive doesn't seem to affect anyone, Monokuma will probably just add a new one that will. What's the point in having hope anymore? I spent time pondering about this until finally the nighttime announcement came.

Monokuma: "Attention, everyone. It is now 10:00 P.M. As such, it is officially nighttime. Remember that you cannot go to the gym nor the dining hall at night. Murders also cannot be committed during this time, so please wait until the next morning to start killing. Now then, goodnight everyone."

I'm happy that nighttime finally came, because now I can just sleep away, totally unconscious and away from this horrible situation. I will finally have something to do while I'm locked up in my own dorm room. I wish I could just sleep forever, but life isn't that easy. While thinking about this whole situation, I ended up asleep before I knew it.

...

Monokuma: "Good morning everyone. If you heard this announcement, that means that is 7:00 A.M and nighttime is officially over. The dining hall and gym will now be open, and you're free to kill as much as you want. Get ready for another beautiful day in your killing school semester."

Two days have now passed by since the motive wasn't introduced. How long is this going to keep up for? At least today, I have something to look forward to. Nori's movie. I wonder what it's going to be like. Until then, I guess I just have to wait. Just like before, I ended up long, excruciating hours doing absolutely nothing, but the thoughts of Nori's movie at least kept my mind running and gave me something to look forward to. After what felt like a slightly faster, but still an extremely long time, 1 PM approached. I still have 50 minutes before her movie begins, so I guess I should just check in the public chatroom again.

Nori: Who's ready to see my movie?

Chimon: I am

Akina: I'm pumped!

Renjiro: Me

Sashi: I've always been ready

Yemon: I guess I'm ready

Nori: Good. It's nice to see that you all are so excited

Renjiro: Hold on. Since we aren't having dining hall meetings anymore, why don't we have a role call to see who's still alive?

Chimon: That's a good idea

Renjiro: If you are in this chatroom, but haven't spoken yet, say "here"

Emnei: Here

Tetsu: Here

Doryo: Here

Gyo Shin: Here

Nori: That's good. It seems like everyone is here now

Akina: That means nobody has died yet

Nori: In that case, we are free to freely watch my movie without any worry!

It seems like nobody here has anything more important to say, so I guess I can leave now. Maybe I should head to Nori's lab early while I wait. It's not like I have anything else to do right now. So, like I thought, I ended up walking over to Nori's lab, where nobody except Chimon was. Not even Nori was there yet.

Sashi: "Hey, Chimon. What are you doing here?"

Chimon: "I don't have anything in particular I want to do, so I figured I should just wait here."

Sashi: "Same."

Chimon: "Though I expected Nori would be here in order to work on her film. I thought maybe she still had to do a few final touches before it was ready to show, but I guess not."

Sashi: "She must have finished it all yesterday."

Chimon: "Makes sense, considering the deadline is only slightly after 1 AM today."

Sashi: "Yep."

Now that I'm here alone with Chimon, there's something I want to talk to him about. The argument with Yemon he had a few days ago. I never got any context for that, but it seems like they are now sworn enemies. But what could have happened in order to cause this argument? Chimon was even thinking about starting a relationship with Yemon, but is that all in the tubes now? Maybe it's none of my business, but I should ask anyways. If he doesn't want me to talk about, he would just say so.

Sashi: "Chimon, I have a question."

Chimon: "Yes?"

Sashi: "What happened between you and Yemon? You two suddenly seem to hate each other. Why is that?"

Chimon: "An argument started between us, and it escalated. Now he refuses to talk to me ever again."

Sashi: "I think I accidentally overheard your argument the other day. What even caused it the first place?"

Chimon: "Why should I tell you? It's none of your fucking business anyways."

Sashi: "If you don't want to talk about it, I won't make you."

Chimon: "Then I'm not saying a word."

Sashi: "Okay, but I'm just wondering. Do you hate Yemon now?"

Chimon: "I don't know at this point. He's just being really difficult right now."

Sashi: "Yeah. His whole attuite has definitely drastically changed. I just wish he could act like he used to be. This isn't the Yemon I befriended."

Chimon: "Yeah, but he's being particularly difficult towards me. It seems like I can't say even a single word without pissing him off. He seems to try his hardest to avoid me whenever he can."

Sashi: "I'm sorry to hear that. Does that mean you are no longer attracted to him?"

Chimon: "Pretty much. None of my crushes really last anyways. Some people just turned out to be awful human beings. Yemon is a way worse person than I initially thought."

Sashi: "Really? Are you sure he's just an awful person? I thought he's just acting that way because he was blackmailed into helping Renora out with her murder plan. As seen with Gyo Shin, this killing game can really change peoples' personalities."

Chimon: "Maybe. But it's also possible that he was just a douchebag all along, and his friendly nature was a complete façade."

Sashi: "I don't think so. His friendliness seemed genuine. I hung out with him for a while, so I would know."

Chimon: "Well, whatever the answer is, I don't like the way he is acting right now. As long as he continues to act like this, I don't even want to be near him anymore."

Sashi: "I hope he grows out of this, but it might never happen. Once you snap, it's hard to change back."

Chimon: "True."

While I talked with Chimon, Nori and the others eventually arrived. Like they said, Gyo Shin, Doryo, Emnei, and Tetsu didn't show up. However, strangely, Akina was also missing. That's not good. That actually makes me really worried. She said she was going to watch the movie with us, so why didn't she?

Nori: "Is everyone ready?"

Renjiro: "Hold on! Where's Akina!?"

Nori: "Oh, she's not coming today."

Sashi: "Why? I thought she was going to watch your movie with the rest of us."

Nori: "That's what she originally thought. But I ran into her earlier today, and she told me that she had some 'personal business to take care of'. That's why she can't come today."

Yemon: "Personal business? What kind of personal business?"

Nori: "I don't know. I figured it was none of my business, so I didn't ask about it."

Chimon: "That seems pretty shady, not going to lie."

Nori: "But let's stop worrying about her! Like I said, I ran into earlier, so she's definitely still alive! Let's just get things rolling!"

Nori turned on the projector and started her film. Like she said, it was mostly just a bunch of clip shows of her having conversations with the other students, often times in private. But right near the beginning, the most embarrassing thing showed up. It was the only footage of me. It was when Nori recorded me in her lab.

Nori: "Say pussy, cause you're on camera."

Tetsu: "Pussy!?"

Nori: "I'm just joking around. But you can say it if you want, I don't mind."

Sashi: "Alright then. PUSSY!!!"

Renjiro: "What the hell, Sashi!? You didn't have to actually say it!"

Sashi: "I didn't think she was actually going to put this in the film!"

Nori: "AHAHAHAHA!!! Of course, I would! You need to learn to have some more self-control, Sashi! You didn't have to say anything, but I'm so glad you did!"

Sashi: "This is really embarrassing."

Chimon: "I'm glad I never said anything stupid when Nori recorded me, because I knew I was going to have to watch it later."

Sashi: "Not as stupid as Nori forgetting that I was the Ultimate Actress."

Nori: "What!? You remember that!?"

Sashi: "Yeah, you said 'I should really become an actress' right after recording me saying that word. But of course, you cut it out of the film like a coward."

Nori: "I don't like showing things that make me look stupid! I'm the film director, dammit! I should be able to choose what things to keep and what I should scrap!"

Chimon: "What do you mean 'look stupid'? You're already stupid."

Nori: "Wow, thanks. You don't need to point out what I already know."

After that embarrassing show of mine, the film went on to show equally embarrassing, if not more so, recordings of the other students. It was honestly really entertaining and seeing people's reactions to their embarrassing performances on camera was really funny. After around a hour and 50 minutes, the film was finally over.

Nori: "So, what did you guys think of it?"

Sashi: "It was amazing!"

Renjiro: "I loved seeing all my friends on camera, especially Chiyo and Renora, as they are now gone. It's nice to be reminded of their presence, even if they aren't here anymore."

Yemon: "I'll admit that I did enjoy it."

Chimon: "You really are the Ultimate Film Director, Nori."

Nori: "What the fuck are you people talking about? It's just a clip show. It's not really a film."

Sashi: "Still, it's clear that you put a lot of effort into it. The editing was really good."

Nori: "Aww thanks."

But suddenly, our pleasant experience was ruined by someone else's scream.

Akina: "AHHHHHHH!!!!"

Renjiro: "Did someone just scream!?"

Sashi: "NO!!! This better not be what I think it is!"

Chimon: "It sounded like Akina!"

Nori: "We have to hurry! It sounded like it came east from here!"

We instantly dashed out of Nori's lab and headed east. But right as we went outside, I ran into Emnei, who seemed to have just ran in.

Emnei: "Did you all hear Akina scream!?"

Sashi: "Yeah! Where were you!?"

Emnei: "I was just walking around when I suddenly heard a scream come from her lab! So, I decided to run over, and then I ran into you guys!"

Yemon: "Akina's in her lab! Then we should head there!"

Everyone quickly ran inside Akina's lab. But little did we know, our worse fears were now realized. Right in the middle of her lab, on the soccer field, was Akina, dead. Her stomach had a huge knife stuck in it. All the blood loss from her deep wound could have easily caused her to die within a minute or two. There was no doubt. Akina was dead.

Ding dong, dong ding.

Monokuma: "A body has been discovered! Now then, after a certain amount of time has passed, the class trial will begin!"

Sashi: "AKINAAAA!!!"

Instantly, I started crying and screaming at the sight of Akina's dead body. Out of all the victims here, she was the one I was easily the closest to. Why her? Why did she have to be the one to die!? Considering how much she changed since her intital introduction, her murder is really heartbreaking.

Emnei: "This can't be happening!"

Renjiro: "Why!? Why did another person have to die!? When will the murders end!?"

Yemon: "This is terrible. I swear I will find the person who did this!"

Nori: "This is all my fault. I should have listened to you guys when you were worried about Akina! Nobody was there to watch her! And she died because of it! I promised to lead you all, preventing anyone else from dying, and look what happened!"

While we mourned Akina's death, Tetsu ran into the scene.

Tetsu: "NO!!! WHY!?!"

Renjiro: "Where's everyone else, and why haven't they come yet!?"

Chimon: "I'm sure they will come eventually. Don't worry about it."

But even after waiting for twenty minutes after Akina's initial body discovery, no one else came.

Nori: "Someone needs to go get the others!"

Tetsu: "I'll go get them! Doryo and Gyo Shin might still be in their rooms!"

Tetsu dashed out of the room while we all stood there in dismay. After about thirty minutes, Tetsu came back with Doryo. But Gyo Shin was nowhere to be seen.

Yemon: "Finally. What took you so long?"

Chimon: "Hold on. Where's Gyo Shin? Could you not find her?"

Tetsu: "Bad news everyone! I was able to get Doryo out of his room, but something else has turned up!"

Doryo: "While I was walking to Akina's lab with Tetsu, I noticed there was a fucking fire at the museum!"

Nori: "Fire!?"

But the museum is made out of marble, right? In that case, how could it catch on fire? Marble isn't flammable material. Still, I hope nobody got hurt in the fire!

Emnei: "We need to head to the fire immediately, before it spreads!"

Sashi: "Hold on! Two people need to watch the crime scene!"

Renjiro: "Me and Yemon will! You're fine with that, right Yemon!?"

Yemon: "Sure."

Tetsu: "Okay, now that's taken care of, let's head over to the museum!"

Chimon: "I'll grab buckets of water! I found some empty buckets in the warehouse! I can use those!"

We instantly ran out of Akina's lab and headed down to the stairs that leads to the area below. Sure enough, there was a huge fire that seemed to reach both inside and around the museum. The grass around the museum was completely on fire! Eventually, Chimon ran over with two buckets of water. We immediately grabbed them and dumped them at the scene. However, it wasn't enough.

Nori: "It's still burning! Chimon, you need to fill up the buckets with water again!"

Chimon: "I'm on it!"

After Chimon brought two buckets to the scene, we dumped them on the grass yet again. This time, the fire around the museum had completely smothered.

Emnei: "What about inside the museum? There's still a fire in there!"

Chimon: "I'll go fill up the buckets again!"

Chimon left the scene yet again, while we watched the fire inside the museum. However, the fire seemed to only be in the center of the room. It appeared to be burning something in the middle of the room. But before we could make out what it was, sprinklers in the museum suddenly turned on, and water came pouring out.

Tetsu: "Fire sprinklers!?"

Nori: "Shouldn't these have worked earlier!? It seems like this fire was going on for a pretty long time!"

Soon enough, the sprinklers manage to put out the fire in the middle of the room. They tend turned off, only to reveal a horrifying sight. Right in the middle of the room, was a corpse, except it was totally burnt to the crisp! It was completely black and seemed to be tied with duct tape to a wooden chair! That was what the fire was burning! It was a body! Even though the body was burnt to the point of being unrecognizable, it had to have been Gyo Shin. Everyone else has been accounted for. Not to mention, there were traces of red hair on the floor.

Ding dong, dong ding.

Monokuma: "A body has been discovered! Now then, after a certain amount of time has passed, the class trial will begin!"

Danganronpa: The Truth of Fiction by Loginator  
Danganronpa: The Truth of Fiction

Danganronpa: The Truth of Fiction Chapter 4 Deadly Life and Trial

Published (42563 Words) 

Danganronpa: The Truth of Fiction Chapter 4 Deadly Life and Trial  
Sashi: "What........Why?"

Emnei: "Another murder!? Are you serious!?"

Tetsu: "Why did this happen!? Why did another person have to die!?"

Nori: "Is that Gyo Shin!?"

Sashi: "It has to be. Everyone else has already been accounted for, including the now deceased Akina."

Emnei: "That really sucks. I mean, she kind of lost her mind, and physically attacked both Renora and Nori, but she didn't deserve to die. And I thought we just convinced her to go back on her side and try to survive, only for her to get murdered."

Sashi: "Yeah, I agree."

Soon after, Chimon came running at the scene, with two water buckets in his hand. Right after, Doryo and Renjiro came in.

Chimon: "Alright, I've got the water buckets.........Holy Shit!"

Yemon: "What the actual fuck!?"

Renjiro: "AHHHHH!!!"

Tetsu: "Another murder has occurred."

Chimon: "Another murder? Jesus Christ."

Doryo: "This doesn't make any fucking sense! Why would the killer murder two people!?"

Yemon: "Hold up. Just because two people were killed, doesn't mean they were murdered by the same person."

Chimon: "That's true, yes. But take a look at rule #15. According to this rule, "If two different murders by different murderers occur at the same time, only the one who killed first will become the blackened." In other words, if let's say, I kill Doryo, but then Yemon kills Nori, only my murder will count. So only I become the blackened and get to escape the island."

Nori: "That's true, but what's your point?"

Chimon: "So even if two different people were killed, only the murder of the person who has died first really matters."

Renjiro: "Still, we should try to figure out both murders at the class trial. Even if we only have to find the culprit who killed first, we should find out both culprits. We need to find them out, for both people who have died. If there even are two culprits, that is."

Sashi: "Not to mention, finding out the second culprit will give us an idea of who to watch out for."

Nori: "But isn't it possible that the two murders are connected?"

Chimon: "I highly doubt it. Like I said, only the first murder accounts, so there's no reason for both killers to work together."

Yemon: "And it's not like the last murder, where there was also two separate incidents. In that case, Renora used the evidence that Doryo left behind after trying to kill Renjiro to frame him for her murder of Chiyo. If that was the case here, the second killer would know that a murder has already occurred, so they wouldn't need to kill somebody else."

Sashi: "That's also true."

Doryo: "But who even died first anyways?"

Tetsu: "It must be Akina. We did find her body first."

Emnei: "Hold on. We shouldn't assume things. Just because we found Akina's body first, doesn't mean she died first. We only found her body first because we heard her scream. We heard not a single peep from Gyo Shin."

Tetsu: "I mean, but if the fire had happened earlier, wouldn't have someone have noticed it by now? It's not easy to miss a fire, especially one as large as this one."

Doryo: "I was in my room the whole time, so I didn't notice the fire until Tetsu lured me out."

Nori: "What about Tetsu and Emnei? Weren't they together?"

Emnei: "We were in the library most of the time, so we couldn't notice the fire even if we wanted to."

Yemon: "And everyone else, they were in Nori's lab."

Renjiro: "It seems like Tetsu's claim that Akina died first is a bit lacking."

Tetsu: "I guess so. We have plenty of time to figure the mystery of who died first at the class trial and once we investigate."

Chimon: "Hold up. I just noticed something. Before we found Akina's body, almost everyone had an alibi. Me, Sashi, Nori, Renjiro, and Yemon were all in Nori's lab. So, they all have alibis. Tetsu and Emnei were together most of the time, correct?"

Emnei: "Yeah, we were basically together until right before Akina screamed. Right before then, she suddenly left the library, leaving me behind."

Yemon: "Hold up, doesn't that make Tetsu kind of suspicious?"

Tetsu: "Yeah, but that doesn't mean I'm the culprit. It's just a coincidence."

Chimon: "In that case, until right before Akina's murder, everyone else except Doryo had an alibi."

Emnei: "Are you implying Doryo is the killer?"

Renjiro: "Doryo! I thought you said you weren't going to try to murder anybody ever again!?"

Doryo: "I did. I didn't fucking kill anybody. I literally stayed in my room the whole time. Tetsu literally saw me in my room when she went to get me."

Yemon: "But that doesn't mean you were there the whole time. You could have easily killed Gyo Shin, then ran back to your room in order to suit your claim of having an alibi."

Doryo: "Shut the fuck up! I didn't kill anybody!"

Yemon: "Your shouting just makes you even more suspicious. I knew you were lying about the whole thing! We never should have released you!"

Sashi: "Hold up. We don't know for sure whether or not he's guilty."

Renjiro: "But Chimon literally said that everyone except him has an alibi for Gyo Shin's murder."

Tetsu: "That's only before Akina's body was discovered. In that case, there's only one other possibility. Gyo Shin was killed after Akina."

Nori: "But that's only a possibility, is it not?"

Tetsu: "Yeah, but it's the most likely possibility. First of all, I have an inclination to believe Doryo. First of all, like he said, he's too stupid to commit a murder. So, I have a reason to think he really won't try to kill anybody ever again. Second of all, if Doryo was the culprit, wouldn't that too obvious? If these class trials are any indication, the easiest answer is rarely the correct answer. Third of all, even the fire had really occurred before Akina was stabbed to death, why did the fire sprinklers take so long to work? It's already strange that the fire sprinklers didn't turn on until the fire was already burning Gyo Shin's body significantly, but it's even stranger to think that it took even longer for the fire sprinklers to turn on then we originally thought. Finally, you all saw the fire outside, correct? This whole area below the rest of the school is covered in grass. In that case, why did it only burn the area in front of the museum? Grass is very flammable, so it should have spread very quickly. There's only one answer. The fire must not have been going on for very long."

Emnei: "I have to admit, when you put all of that together, it really seems like Akina died first."

Tetsu: "That's what I've been saying."

Is this true? Are these really the only two possibilities? That either Doryo is the culprit, or Akina died first? Not to mention, for both Akina's murder and after, everyone except Tetsu and Doryo had alibis, as we all ran into the scene together. In that case, can it only be those two people? While Doryo being the culprit is probably the best option available, Tetsu being the killer is one of the worst outcomes imaginable. I mean, she seems so sweet, shy, and innocent. How could she murder someone? But maybe I'm thinking too deeply about it. After all, we haven't even received the Monokuma File yet. Like usual, the time of death should be listed. In that case, the answer would be clear. As if on cue...

Monopup: "Wow, you guys haven't even started your proper investigation, and you are already debating! Perhaps we don't even need to give you time to investigate. Maybe we should just start the class trial right away!"

Chimon: "No. That sounds like a terrible idea. Just give us the Monokuma file already."

Yemon: "Hold on. I have a question to ask Monokuma."

Monokuma: "What is it?"

Yemon: "Regrading rule #15, what happens if the first killer ends up dead? In that case, who becomes the blackened?"

Monokuma: "Oh, so you mean if the second killer ends up killing the first killer?"

Yemon: "Yeah. But also if the first murder is a suicide."

Monokuma: "Then the second killer becomes the blackened. After all, there has to be a blackened in every class trial. I know I said only the first murder counts, but if the killer for that murder is dead, then who am I going to punish? Same also applies for if the first killer actually murdered themselves. Since I can't punish the first killer, the second murderer that is actually still alive becomes the blackened."

Nori: "Wait, so it's possible that one of the victims was the killer?"

Monokuma: "Yep. As if that's the case here, I can't say of course!"

Yemon: "Well, that's all I wanted to ask, so you can leave now."

Monokuma: "Oh, before I do, I should add this as a new rule. I honestly should have made this a rule from the beginning, but I guess it's better late than never."

Instantly, the monopod beeped, and I checked the rule section. Sure enough, there was a new rule posted.

Rule #20: If there are two separate murders, and the first murderer dies by either suicide or through another student's hand, then the second killer becomes the blackened.

Monokuma: "Alright, my job here is done, so goodbye!"

Monokuma then left the scene.

Monopup: "Okay, now can I give out the Monokuma files?"

Doryo: "Yes. Hand them to us now."

Monopup: "Jeez, don't need to be so pushy."

Monopup handed us all a Monokuma file from the stack.

Monopup: "Alright then. I hope you all have fun with your investigations. Goodbye!"

Monopup left the scene, leaving us by ourselves once again.

Emnei: "I guess it's investigation time now."

Chimon: "Speaking of. Hey, Sashi. I noticed that after each murder, you have been investigating with someone new. In that case, how about I help you out? This case seems...... complicated, to say the least, so I feel like you could need my help."

Sashi: "Sure! I'm happy to investigate with you, Chimon."

Chimon: "Oh, really? I don't know why you're happy to investigate with someone like me, but okay."

It could have just been my imagination, but I swear I just saw Chimon give off a brief smile. I have never seen him smile before, so it's nice to see it. But it's probably just my imagination.

Sashi: "Okay, are you ready?"

Chimon: "I've been born ready."

Here begins the fourth investigation. This time, there's not just one murder to solve, but two. Considering how that by itself makes things much more complicated, I better start as soon as possible. I need to find out any leads I can before I can start the class trial.

INVESTIGATION START

Chimon: "You know what to do first. Let's check out the Monokuma File."

Like usual, I turned on the Monokuma File. It read the following: "There are two victims in this case. The first victim was Akina Kuroda, the Ultimate Soccer Player. Her body was found in the Ultimate Soccer Player Lab. Her cause of death was a stab to the stomach. The second victim is Gyo Shin Morikawa, the Ultimate Clown. Her body was found in the Museum. Her cause of death was suffocation due to smoke inhalation caused by a fire."

Chimon: "Interesting. Just like last time, crucial information is purposely being withheld from us. Rather than it being the cause of death, this time it's the time of death."

Sashi: "That must mean that the time of death is a very important mystery to this case that Monokuma wants us to figure out ourselves."

Chimon: "Yeah, considering we spent like three minutes discussing who died first before we even received the Monokuma File, it's obvious that this is going to be a part of the case."

Sashi: "It's interesting how both times of death aren't listed. Like I understand how it may be a mystery what time Gyo Shin died, but what about Akina? We all heard her scream. In that case, she had to have died right after that. There's no mystery about it."

Chimon: "Maybe Monokuma didn't list either because he thought it would be unusual to list one but not the other?"

Sashi: "I guess that's possible."

Chimon: "Or maybe the truth isn't what it seems?"

Sashi: "Do you have something in mind?"

Chimon: "Not really. I'm just saying what I think."

Tetsu: "I just noticed something. Rather than the cause of death being burning, it's suffocation."

Chimon: "That makes sense. After all, almost all victims of burning die due to smoke inhalation first. While it takes a long time to burn to death, it only takes a few minutes at most to suffocate by inhaling smoke."

Tetsu: "But in that case, it makes it all the more probable that Akina died first. Because even if the fire started after she died, it would still last for enough time to kill Gyo Shin."

Chimon: "You seem really insistent on this one theory."

Tetsu: "I'm just saying what comes to my mind. It's not like I have any conclusive evidence. That's what these investigations and class trials are for, am I wrong?"

Chimon: "No, it's just that I didn't think you were the type of person to say your make your thoughts on what happened so vocal."

Tetsu: "What can I say, after being through so many investigations, I've learned to speak up my mind. I'm no longer shy about that kind of thing."

Sashi: "That's great, Tetsu, but try not to assume things."

Tetsu: "I won't."

In any case, even without the time of death, this is still important info. I should write it down.

MONOKUMA FILE 4 ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Chimon: "Jesus, where do we even start? I guess we should begin with investigating Gyo Shin's body."

Sashi: "Sounds good."

Ugh, her body is so heavily burnt, it practically looks like a black skeleton. It's not a pleasant sight to look at, that's for sure. Anyways, the first thing I noticed that her body was tied to a wooden chair with duct tape.

Sashi: "Her body is tied to a wooden chair. I guess that explains the fire in the museum. None of the material that makes up the museum is flammable, so they tied Gyo Shin to a wooden chair and lit that on fire instead. Wood is a very flammable material after all."

Chimon: "But in order for the killer to tie Gyo Shin's body to this chair, they would probably have to make her unconscious somehow. I doubt she would happily agree to be tied up to a wooden chair."

Sashi: "Well, they definitely didn't knock her out by hitting her on the head. The Monokuma File never mentioned any injury like that, unlike Fudoki's murder, where he was actually knocked unconscious. Not to mention, I can't really see any head injury on Gyo Shin, but that may be because her body is so heavily charred that I wouldn't notice anything like that anyways."

Chimon: "Then they must have made her unconscious using sleeping drugs from the infirmary. We should check it out later."

Sashi: "Good idea."

So, there's no doubt that Gyo Shin was tied to this wooden chair and set on fire, but how does that explain the fire that was outside the museum? The fire seemed to have only been burning two things, the grass and Gyo Shin's body. Does that mean these are two separate fires, or did the killer find some way to connect them to each other?

WOODEN CHAIR ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Chimon: "There's other thing I noticed about Gyo Shin's body. It's burnt. Like really burnt."

Sashi: "No shit, detective."

Chimon: "No, but like more burnt than necessary. Like I said, it only takes a few minutes for someone to die by smoke inhalation, but the body looks like it was burned for far more than a few minutes. It must have been burning for a really long time. Probably before Akina even died."

Sashi: "Can you tell how much time precisely Gyo Shin was burning?"

Chimon: "Of course not. I'm not a coroner, so I can't identify anything like that. I'm just making a simple observation."

So, what I gather from what Chimon told me, is that Gyo Shin's body has been burning for a really long time? The info is really vague, but it might be helpful regardless. Especially the comment about the fire possibly starting before Akina died. But that's not exact proof that Gyo Shin died first, so I shouldn't jump to conclusions.

BURNED BODY ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Sashi: "I think that's everything relating to Gyo Shin's body in-question. So, let's try examining the scene."

Chimon: "The only thing I really notice at the crime scene that doesn't relate to Gyo Shin's body is the control panel on the side of the museum. I think that controls the fire sprinklers."

Sashi: "Really? I never noticed."

I took a look at the control panel, and sure enough, it was labeled as fire sprinklers. But what's interesting is on the bottom, it shows that you can turn them off and on. However, that's not the only thing. Near the top of the panel, is a time listed. It was 4:50 PM. But that's not the current time, so what does it mean? There was also a red button near the top-right of the panel.

Sashi: "I'm just looking at the fire sprinklers and it's really confusing me."

Chimon: "Yeah, me too. Fire sprinklers should just be automatic. Why is there a complicated system for it?"

Sashi: "I feel like we should ask Monokuma about this system, because I don't understand it at all."

Monokuma: "You wanted to know about the fire sprinklers?"

Chimon: "Yes. Tell us everything there is to know about these fire sprinkers."

Monokuma: "Well, you see, these were originally placed at this school, to you know prevent fires. And they still serve that purpose. However, once I thought about the whole killing school trip idea, I thought: 'Hey, people might want to burn people to death in this museum, but the sprinkler system is getting in the way!' So, I decided to modify the system. Not only can you turn the sprinklers off and on at a whim, but you can set the sprinklers to turn on at specific time periods."

Chimon: "Is that the meaning of that time listed on the panel? That's when the sprinklers will turn on?"

Monokuma: "Yep, and even when the sprinklers are turned off, it still works at the designated time. If you don't want to use the sprinklers at a specific time, just press the red button and the time will reset."

Sashi: "So the reason the sprinklers took so long to turn on was because they were set to a specific time?"

Monokuma: "That's exactly it!"

Chimon: "Well, that's all we wanted to ask, so please get lost."

Monokuma: "Okay, got it!"

So, the sprinklers were set to 4:50 PM? That's around twenty minutes after we first discovered the fire. In any case, this is important info.

FIRE SPRINKLERS ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Sashi: "Okay I think we've found all the clues that are at the crime scene, so we should now talk to people."

Chimon: "Sounds good. Hey, Emnei. You said you were with Tetsu?"

Emnei: "Yeah I was."

Sashi: "Didn't you also say that she suddenly left the library that you two were in?"

Emnei: "Yep."

Chimon: "Can you give a precise timestamp for when these events occurred?"

Emnei: "We were in the library together from precisely 1:10 to 3:40 PM. 3:40 PM is the exact time Tetsu left the library."

Sashi: "Did she tell you where she was going?"

Emnei: "No, she just told me that she had some business to take care of and that it was nice talking with me."

Chimon: "So she didn't give any specific details?"

Emnei: "No, she didn't."

Chimon: "I'm not going to lie; this sounds really suspicious."

Tetsu left the library at precisely 3:40 PM? And she didn't give any specific details on why she left? Like Chimon said, this is really suspicious. I wonder why she had to leave so suddenly. Was it a last-minute decision, or was she planning to leave at this time all along?

EMNEI'S ACCOUNT ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Sashi: "Is that all you know, Emnei?"

Emnei: "No, actually. You see, as soon as the investigation began, I left to go check something. Considering it's a fire that killed Gyo Shin, I was wondering if any accelerants were used. I remember there being some in the warehouse, so I went to go check."

Chimon: "And? What did you find?"

Emnei: "All the accelerants haven't even been opened up. They were all in their separate containers, and there's a tight lid for each of them. However, there was one exception, the gasoline containers. One of them had less liquid inside, and the tab right below the lid was torn off. There's no doubt. The gasoline must have been used in the fire somehow."

Sashi: "But why would gasoline even be needed? As far as I can tell, only the grass outside the mansion and the wooden chair was burned up. Those are already flammable by nature. In that case, gasoline is unnecessary."

Emnei: "Perhaps they were trying to speed up the process?"

Chimon: "In that case, that might explain why the body was so burned up. They used gasoline to make the fire burn faster."

Sashi: "In that case, the body being really burnt doesn't necessarily mean that Gyo Shin's fire was started before Akina died."

Chimon: "Well so much for the burnt body solving the mystery of who died first. Silly me for thinking figuring it out was going to be easy."

But nevertheless, was gasoline really used to make the fire burn longer? Or was it for some other purpose? If so, what purpose is it?

GASOLINE CONTAINER ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Sashi: "Ugh, since Doryo doesn't have an alibi, I feel like I need to question him. But I don't want to talk to him."

Chimon: "I don't either, but it's necessary for our investigation. Besides, he promised he would help us out and cooperate."

Sashi: "Alright. Hey, Doryo. Do you have any info to share on the murder?"

Doryo: "Info? What fucking kind of info?"

Chimon: "Just anything you can come up with."

Doryo: "Uhhhhhh... I noticed that Gyo Shin was tied to a wooden chair! With duct tape no less!"

Chimon: "Please tell us something we don't already know."

Doryo: "Wait, you guys already know that!? Shit, now I'm out of ideas."

Sashi: "Let's rephrase the question. Is there only information that only you know?"

Doryo: "I don't know, is there?"

Chimon: "Jesus, this isn't that hard to answer. Just tell us anything you know. Anything that can't be already found out with a single glance at the room."

Doryo: "Uh, that fire took only four water buckets to put out! Isn't that some kind of coincidence!? I bet the killer made the fire that precise size so Chimon would only grab four water buckets! I'm a fucking genius, aren't I!?"

Chimon: "Oh my fucking god, stop being a dumbass for one goddamn minute! We want your alibi!"

Doryo: "What's an alibi again?"

Chimon: "WHAT WERE YOU DOING WHEN THE MURDERS OCCURRED!?!"

Sashi: "Weren't you in your room, Doryo?"

Doryo: "Yeah, I was. Also, stop fucking shouting at me, you asshole!"

Chimon: "I would if you would stop being so goddamn stupid. Anyways, how long were you in your room? What time did Tetsu lure you out?"

Doryo: "According to my monopod, it was around 4:20 PM when I was let out by Tetsu. So I guess I was in my room from 1:00 PM to 4:20 PM."

Chimon: "Thank you!"

Doryo: "Am I done now? I'm sick of talking to you bitches and faggots!"

Sashi: "Doryo! What did we tell you about bullying!?"

Doryo: "Ah, shit. My bad."

My bad? That's all you have to say?

Sashi: "Anyways, I just have one more question. You said you saw the museum fire, correct?"

Doryo: "Yeah. As I was heading to Akina's lab with Tetsu, I saw it. Tetsu apparently didn't notice it until now. When I pointed it out, she acted all surprised."

Chimon: "Huh. That's weird. Why didn't Tetsu notice the fire? I would think she would have seen it when she went to go you."

Doryo: "I don't know man. Maybe she's just blind."

Sashi: "Doryo."

Doryo: "What?"

Sashi: "That was very helpful. Thank you."

Doryo: "Whatever."

Is it really just a coincidence that Tetsu didn't notice the fire? Or did she know about it all along and was just pretending to be surprised?

DORYO'S ACCOUNT ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Sashi: "It seems like only Yemon is here now. The other three must have left to go investigate other places."

Chimon: "Oh no."

Sashi: "Relax, Chimon. I'll just talk to him. You can stay behind."

Chimon: "Okay, thanks."

Sashi: "Hey, Yemon. What do you know about this case?"

Yemon: "Well, as soon as I thought of the possibility of sleeping drugs being used on Gyo Shin to disable her, I headed to the infirmary. After all, she needed to be unconscious to tie her up like that. And just as I expected, some kind of anesthetic was taken, as well as a syringe."

Then that confirms my thought earlier as well.

Yemon: "However, that wasn't the only thing I noticed there. I also noticed that some bandages were taken."

Chimon: "Are you sure doesn't weren't just the bandages you used on Renjiro, and you just forgot?"

Yemon: "Shut the fuck up Chimon! Do you think I'm stupid or something?"

Sashi: "Chimon, I thought you weren't going to comment."

Chimon: "Sorry, couldn't resist."

Yemon: "Anyways, there were multiple boxes containing bandages. While I was bandaging up Renjiro's chest, I used an entire box full of them. However, just today, I noticed that another box had been opened up, as some bandages were missing from it."

Sashi: "Bandages? Are those really important to the case? Someone could have just those to bandage up a cut or something."

Yemon: "I don't fucking know. I'm just telling you what I saw."

Sashi: "Well, thanks anyways, Yemon."

Yemon: "No problem."

Is this really important to the case? While the average person would probably say no, there's something in the back of my mind telling me this is really important.

STOLEN MEDICAL EQUIPMENT ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Chimon: "I think that just about covers this area. We have investigated the scene in its entirety, and we have talked to everyone here. In that case, we should look somewhere else."

Sashi: "In that case, let's examine Akina's lab. That's where the other murder occurred, after all."

Chimon: "Yeah, good idea."

But as soon as we left the museum, we already started to notice all types of strange things that were in the field area. First of all, there was the patch of burnt grass. But right in the middle of it was a lighter.

Sashi: "A lighter. This has to have been what was used to light the fire."

Chimon: "I don't see any other possibilities. Though I don't know why the killer would leave evidence like this hanging around."

Sashi: "Probably because it's not important? Like is a lighter being here really going to affect anything in the long run? It's not like it's points to the killer's identity or anything."

Chimon: "True. I'm just commenting on it."

I don't think there's any room for doubt on this one. This lighter was used to start the fire.

LIGHTER ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Chimon: "Hey, regarding this patch of burnt grass. Something about it intrigues me."

Sashi: "What is it?"

Chimon: "It's rather small. It looks like the fire didn't spread very far."

Sashi: "Considering how flammable grass is, that must mean that the grass wasn't on fire for very long."

Chimon: "Yeah, but that's like the opposite of the burnt body. The burnt body indicates the fire was going on for a long time, while the grass indicates it was going on for a very short time."

Sashi: "That is interesting."

Why is the body so heavily burnt compared to the grass? What's the answer to this contradiction?

BURNT GRASS ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

But those two pieces of evidence weren't what was strange. What was strange that right to the left of the museum, placed near the school wall, was a ramp.

Chimon: "A ramp? What is that doing here? Where did it even come from?"

Sashi: "Hold on. This came from Doryo's lab!"

Chimon: "Oh, really. But that's such a strange thing to bring all the way over here. Not to mention, heavy."

Sashi: "Actually, it's not that bad if you just push it with your hands or feet."

I reached down and pushed the ramp along, and it moved just fine."

Sashi: "See?"

Chimon: "Dammit. I thought we might have had a lead there."

Still, what the hell is a ramp doing here? It must have had some purpose, but what?

RAMP ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Chimon: "Huh?"

Chimon suddenly looked at the concrete pathway near the hill in interest.

Sashi: "Yes, it's concrete, Chimon. What's so interesting about it?"

Chimon: "Don't be snarky with me. That's supposed to be my thing!"

Sashi: "What can I say? After hanging out with you for so long, I've started to adapt your mannerisms."

Chimon: "Are you trying to steal my identity or something!?"

I've got to say, normally Chimon is a very irritable and antisocial person, but when he's around me, it's completely different. We can actually have a normal conversation, jokes and all. Like I would have never imagined Chimon having a reaction like that. I feel like we are truly getting along great.

Sashi: "I'm just messing with you, Chimon."

Chimon: "Yeah, I know."

Sashi: "Anyways. Chimon, did you notice something about that concrete?"

Chimon: "Yeah, it looks like it's burnt. Well, as burnt as concrete can get. It's not flammable."

Sashi: "That's unusual. This spot of concrete is way further away from the grass and the museum in general. How did the fire reach all the way here? And it's not like you can just light the concrete directly."

Chimon: "Also, why this specific spot? It's only a small area of concrete that's burnt."

Sashi: "Also, why would the concrete even need to be burnt in the first place? This is just so confusing, which probably means it's a really significant clue."

Chimon: "Maybe it has to do with it's location. If you look closely, it's right below the window of Nori's lab."

Sashi: "And?"

Chimon: "That could be significant, I guess."

This piece of evidence just reeks of mysteries, which means it can't not be important. Also, what's with all the burnt things being separate from one another? The burnt body, then the burnt grass, and now the burnt concrete. It's just so strange.

BURNT CONCRETE ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

But that wasn't it. There was also something else I noticed. Right below Yemon's lab window, at the bottom of the hill was a mattress.

Sashi: "A mattress? Did they really just drag a mattress all the way over here?"

Chimon: "That's what it looks like."

Sashi: "It's also below Yemon's lab window. That must mean something, right?"

Chimon: "I guess."

What was this mattress used for? The only thing I can think of is that something was dropped on it from Yemon's lab. But what was dropped on the mattress?

MATTRESS ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Chimon: "Considering that both the burnt concrete and the mattress are below Nori's and Yemon's lab, respectfully, it's a good idea to go investigate those areas."

Sashi: "But first, we should probably examine Akina's lab first. It is a crime scene after all, so it should be top priority."

Chimon: "Yep."

We then went towards Akina's lab. But right at her door, we noticed something interesting. There was a bloodstain that stretched from outside and into Akina's lab.

Sashi: "Why does this bloodstain reach through the door onto here?"

Chimon: "I guess that must mean she was stabbed when the door was open. Actually, now that I'm looking at it now, the bloodstain does cover the door from the back and side. That confirms it. The door was open, so the bloodstain hit it."

Sashi: "Yeah, but that's strange because her body was found in the middle of her lab. Did the killer drag her body all the way there? But in that case, couldn't they have just stabbed her from inside the lab? Why this specific area?"

Chimon: "Not to mention, that's probably what allowed us to hear her scream. If she screamed from inside the lab, we might not have heard it."

Yeah, why was Akina stabbed in this specific spot? Was it just to catch her off guard when the door was opened, or was there some other reason?

LAB BLOODSTAIN ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Chimon: "That's not the only thing related to this door. It was also locked when we first tried to come in here, remember?"

Sashi: "Oh yeah. That's right."

Chimon: "But looking at it now, it's just a simple cylinder lock. You just turn it the lock, to you know, lock it. It's like the one in the storage room."

Sashi: "But this door is the only entrance and exit to her lab. In that case, how did the killer stab her and also lock the door?"

Chimon: "This must be what you call a locked room mystery."

Sashi: "Yeah, but this doesn't seem as straight forward as the one with Fudoki's murder. There's only one entrance and exit. Wait, I got it! Maybe the killer hid behind the bleachers, then rushed in when we all found the body!"

Chimon: "No, that can't be it either. Everyone except Tetsu and Doryo has been accounted for before we even found the body. And I saw the other two rush in through the door myself."

Sashi: "Then I don't know."

Another locked room mystery? These cases just keep getting more and more complicated, don't they? In any case, I don't see anything suspicious near the door that indicates how it was locked other than turning the lock on the inside of the lab, so how did the killer do it?

AKINA'S LAB DOOR ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

After we examined Akina's lab door, we headed inside for real. Inside were both Renjiro and Tetsu.

Chimon: "First of all, we should examine Akina's body."

Sashi: "I don't want to though."

God, why did she have to die? She's such a tough girl. Would she really die this easily? It just doesn't seem right. Out of everyone here, why her? But, I guess not have no choice at this point. I hate it so much, but I have to examine her corpse.

Sashi: "However, I know I have to, so I'll do it anyways."

Chimon: "Sashi, you know you could just ask me to investigate her body for you. There's no law saying you have to search everything yourself."

Sashi: "No, I should do this myself. The more I handle things on my own term, the more I get used to this killing game in general. I have to learn to handle these murders, especially of those that I'm really close to."

Chimon: "Alright. It's your choice."

Sashi: "Obviously the most notable thing about Akina's body is the knife sticking out of her stomach. This must be the murder weapon. I can't think of any other possiblites."

Chimon: "It's not a kitchen knife, but seems to be just a knife specifically used to murder people. In that case, it must have come from the armory."

Sashi: "Seems like it."

There doesn't seem to be any doubt with this. This knife was used to stab Akina in the stomach. Since we could already see that with a single glance at her body, and there isn't anything special about this knife, this probably isn't going to provide us with many leads. Still, I should write this info down just in case.

BLOODY KNIFE ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Sashi: "Alright, so we've investigated the murder weapon. Now, to check her pockets for any clues."

First, I looked at her left pocket, inside was some kind of note. It read the following: "Akina, I have an idea on how we should prevent more murders. No one else should know about this. Let's meet privately in my lab at 1:20 PM, Yemon."

Sashi: "Huh. Would you look at this?"

Chimon: "Is that a note? Wait, did Yemon write this note?"

Sashi: "Just because it has his signature doesn't mean he wrote it."

Chimon: "Well, yeah. Still, why Yemon's lab of all places?"

Sashi: "That's a complete separate from where she was killed! But in that case, why was she called there?"

Chimon: "I don't know. I think we were right when we thought about investigating that place. Yemon's lab must have something to do with the murders, I'm sure of it."

Did Yemon really write this note? Or did someone else write his signature to frame him? If so, who wrote this? Why did they call Akina to Yemon's lab? I don't think I can answer any of these questions with this piece of evidence alone. I need more leads. Still, this information is still important in figuring out how to answer these questions.

NOTE FOR AKINA ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

After putting the note back in Akina's left pocket, I decided to examine her right pocket. To my surprise, there was also something in there. It was a......cell phone?

Sashi: "A cell phone? Where the hell did Akina find this?"

Chimon: "That is rather strange, but I don't have any clue where she got it. The more important thing is whether she called anyone on it. Let's take a closer look at it."

I took out the cell phone and turned it on. It was a very simple, old-fashioned designed phone. The only function on it was to call people based on a dial system and a list of contacts. There was also a button that lets you see who was called last. I pressed it, and there was only number, listed for exactly 3:45 PM. However, there was no name labeled for it. It was just a number, so I have no idea who called Akina.

Sashi: "Someone called Akina. The question is, why? Why did they feel the need to call her instead of just sending a message to her through her monopod?"

Chimon: "My guess is to conceal the identity of the caller. If you left a message, everyone would know who it is that sent it. And you can't delete messages."

Sashi: "Yeah, there is no name listed. It's just a phone number."

Chimon: "Hold on. 3:45 PM? That's roughly five minutes after Nori's movie was finished. Considering Akina screamed very close to this time period, someone must have called her before she died. But why would they call her right before she dies? What's the point in that?"

Sashi: "Before we learn about that, let's try calling the number that Akina was in contact with last."

I tried calling the number several times, but there was never a response. After enough time, I decided to give it up.

Sashi: "Listen, we don't have enough time to keep calling this number. If they won't pick up, they won't pick up. Besides, we can always try again later after we are done investigating everything else."

Chimon: "Yeah, let's just leave it be."

Still, this means Akina was in contact with someone. Considering that she called them right before she died, I highly doubt it's the killer. If that was the case, the killer was very nearby, which makes communicating through a cell phone pointless. But if it wasn't the killer, who was it?

CELL PHONE ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Chimon: "I think we're done investigating the crime scene, including Akina's body, so let's talk to the two people here now."

Sashi: "Good idea. Hey Tetsu, is it true that you left the library at 3:40 PM?"

Tetsu: "Uh, yeah."

Sashi: "Why did you do that?"

Tetsu: "I had to use the bathroom. There's literally no other reason. Try to suspect and doubt me all you want; the answer is still really that simple."

Chimon: "Well, let's not talk about that at the moment. Tetsu, you were the one who got Doryo at his room, correct? Could you tell me the exact times you left Akina's lab and then came back?"

Tetsu: "Oh, sure. Let's see. I left Akina's lab at around 4:00 PM and came back with Doryo at approximately 4:30 PM. I didn't enter Doryo's dorm room until 4:20 PM."

That confirms with Doryo's testimony earlier.

Chimon: "Hold on. That's rather suspicious. Why did you take so long? All you had to do was go get Doryo from his room and come back. Particularly, why did it take you a full twenty minutes just to get to his dorm."

Tetsu: "Chimon, do you doubt me!? I could never kill anyone! I thought we were friends!"

Chimon: "Then answer my question."

Tetsu: "Well, uhhhhhh. It's kind of embarrassing. Basically, I forgot I was going to head to his dorm room, so I tried checking out a whole bunch of buildings first before realizing he was probably in his room."

Sashi: "Really? I never saw you as the type of person to make a mistake like that."

Tetsu: "I know, it's so shameful. Why would I do something so stupid?"

Chimon: "......."

Sashi: "Well, I'll believe what you say until the evidence proves contradictory. Besides, the times you gave us were helpful nonetheless."

Tetsu: "Thank you Sashi."

Sashi: "No problem."

I don't think Chimon believes her, for which I really can't blame him. The fact that Tetsu took so long already makes her look really suspicious, but her excuse of forgetting where to look for him is so out of character and silly that it's obvious she's lying. But why would she lie? I don't want to believe she's the culprit, but this is really suspicious.

TETSU'S ACCOUNT ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Sashi: "Hey, Renjiro."

Renjiro: "Ugh, this is so painful. One murder is already difficult enough, but two victims? Not to mention the strong possibility of them being killed by two different people. I don't know if I can handle it."

Sashi: "I know it's tough, but you will get through it, I promise."

Renjiro: "Yeah."

Chimon: "How about you help us by telling anything you know?"

Renjiro: "Oh, there was thing I noticed earlier today. I witnessed Akina at exactly 1:25 PM, and she seemed to be running away from Yemon's lab in a hurry."

Chimon: "Did you see where she was heading?"

Renjiro: "Not really, or at least I don't remember. She was definitely heading in the direction away from Yemon's lab though."

Sashi: "Did you ask her about it?"

Renjiro: "No. I didn't think anything of it at the time, so I never questioned her about it, but now that she's dead now, I can help but think it's relevant to the case."

Chimon: "I think it's very relevant to the case. Thank you."

Renjiro: "No problem."

Yemon's lab again? This area seems to be becoming more and more relevant as pieces of evidence are revealing itself. But what's most notable is that it takes place five minutes after the time the note said for Akina to meet. So, did Akina leave after having a conversation with the person who wrote this note? In that case, why was she is such a hurry?

RENJIRO'S ACCOUNT ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Chimon: "Okay, now we're done talking to people, let's investigate those other areas we were thinking about. First, Yemon's lab."

Sashi: "That's just what I was thinking."

We then headed towards Yemon's lab. As soon as we headed inside, I noticed something shocking. There was a bloodstain in the middle of the lab!

Sashi: "What the hell!? What is a bloodstain doing here!?"

Chimon: "That's strange. Akina was obviously killed in her lab, and Gyo Shin had no external injuries, as well as also obviously being killer in the museum, so this is very unusual. Hold on, this bloodstain is rather dry."

Sashi: "Then this bloodstain must have been here for a while."

Chimon: "In any case, something must have happened here because there's also a bloody wrench on the floor."

Sashi: "A bloody wrench!? That must have what caused the bloodstain! Someone must have hit another with that wrench."

Chimon: "But in that case, who was hit with the wrench? And who swung it? It may seem like a completely irrelevant incident like Renjiro's attack, but the note and his account all point to Akina having entered here, who is also one of the victims. In that case, this has to be related. As for how, I think we have to think about it some more."

What this an attempted assault? Judging by all the blood, the attack definitely happened, but it must not have been fatal. How does this all relate to Akina's and Gyo Shin's murders?

DRIED BLOODSTAIN ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

BLOODY WRENCH ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Sashi: "Okay, we now have one last area to check and I think we're done here. Let's take a look at Nori's lab."

Me and Chimon headed inside Nori's lab. It just looked the same as usual, except Nori was inside. Speaking of, she should have been watching everyone in her lab while we were looking at her movie. In that case, she should be able to confirm whether or not we actually have alibis.

Sashi: "Hey, Nori. Can I ask you something?"

Nori: "Yeah, what is it?"

Sashi: "Your movie lasted from 1:50 to 3:40 PM, correct?"

Nori: "Yep."

Chimon: "During that time period, did anyone leave the room?"

Nori: "Nope. In fact, nobody even left their seats. They were all in my lab until the film was finished. And yes, that includes me."

Sashi: "In other words, everyone here had alibis."

Nori: "I guess so."

Chimon: "This is probably unrelated, but why was your movie so goddamn loud? Like, take a look at the speakers. The volume is turned all the way up to max."

Nori: "Oh, sorry if I disturbed any of you. I'm a party person, you know. I like to keep things loud. You know what I'm saying?"

Chimon: "Yeah, and I hate it."

Nori: "Chimon, you need to learn to mellow out and have some fun in your life."

Chimon: "I can't, because my entire life is unfun in general."

Nori: "Are you okay?"

Chimon: "Yeah. Don't worry about me."

Nori: "If you say so."

Anyways, from 1:50 PM to 3:40 PM, everyone was watching Nori's film. But nobody left their seats, so they all have alibis. So, none of them can be the culprit for either murders, right? Nevertheless, this can be really helpful when narrowing down suspects.

NORI'S ACCOUNT ADDED TO TRUTH BULLETS

Bing bong, ding dong.

Monokuma: "Are you ready!? Are you pumped!? It's trial time, baby! You know what to do! Head to the Monokuma statue at the school park. Puhuhuhuhu. I'll be waiting."

Sashi: "It's time for another trial. I don't know if I can do this anymore. The more of these I do, the more despair starts to overcome me. Like, no matter what we do, someone is going to die."

Chimon: "Come on. Let's not think such depressing thoughts. We're both pretty smart. I'm sure we can get through this trial, even if there is two murders this time. If we've done three trials already, what's to say we can do another one?"

Sashi: "But what about the execution! There's nothing I can do to stop that!"

Chimon: "It's the same case. We've dealt with pretty awful executions in the past, and we managed to get through. I'm sure we can handle it if we try our hardest."

Sashi: "I'm still unhappy about it, but I'll prosper through."

Chimon: "There you go. Doesn't talking it through with your friends make you feel better? Anyways, we don't have much time to waste, so let's head over right now."

We ran over to the Monokuma statue in the middle of the park, where everyone was already waiting like usual.

Renjiro: "This is the first time since Fudoki's death that I have to set foot in a trial with my own two feet and boy does it not feel good."

Emnei: "Seriously. I just feel like I'm getting more and more depressed with each and every class trial."

Tetsu: "No matter what we do, at least one of our friends is going to die. Normally, I would exclude Doryo, but now that he's on our side, I'm not sure what to think at this point."

Doryo: "Don't put me in your friend group! I don't want to be linked to you bastards!"

Tetsu: "Ahhhh! I'm sorry, okay!?"

Doryo: "Haha. I'm just teasing you. I don't really give a shit at this point. If you people want to associate with a piece of garbage like me, go ahead."

Tetsu: "......"

Yemon: "I hate this, I seriously do. These class trials are absolute torture."

Nori: "Come on, everyone! Why are you all in such a bad mood!? If you all are like this, nothing is going to be solved! It's times like these when we need to stay strong and put our heads together! Not just for our sakes, but for the two who died, Gyo Shin and Akina!"

Chimon: "Nori's right. We can't lead our personal feelings get to us. We can leave our mourning and remorse for after the class trial is over. Right now, we need to focus on finding out the culprit."

Renjiro: "You're right! I have to do this, for everyone's sake!"

Emnei: "I guess if I've done this before, I can do it again."

Tetsu: "Same here."

Nori: "That's the spirit everyone!"

Right after Nori and Chimon encouraged everyone, the Monokuma statue shook like usual, and the elevator door opened. We all ran inside, and it began to descend yet again. Half of us have died so far, and it has really made the elevator a lot emptier. It only seemed to have worsened the already depressing mood. While we all pretended to be optimistic and strong for the class trial, I can tell just by looking at everyone's faces and movements that they were all scared inside. Even Nori, who was by far the happiest and most optimistic person out of all of us, looked incredibly nervous. Eventually, the elevator stopped, and the door opened yet again. We all ran outside to reach the trial grounds.

Monokuma: "You know the usual, everyone. I shouldn't need to explain it to you all again, but I'll say it anyways. Everyone take your stands!"

We all ran to our stands, ready to begin the fourth class trial. There were not one, but two people killed this time. The first victim was Akina Kuroda, the Ultimate Soccer Player. When I first met Akina, there was one aspect of her that she made quite vocal, her "hatred" of feminine women. Instantly, this caused quite a lot of us to start heavily disliking her, but she eventually apologized for her actions and vowed to act nicer to the other girls from now on. That's when her positive aspects started to shine. She may still have anger issues and is far from the nicest person out there, but she still has a heart deep down. It was clear that she hated this killing game and what it did to people. The second victim was Gyo Shin Morikawa, the Ultimate Clown. After Chiyo's death, she completely lost any sanity she once had. This caused her to lash out at everyone around her, and even tried to choke Renora and stab Nori. Despite her clear mental issues, it's hard not to feel sorry for her. It was clear just how much Chiyo meant to Gyo Shin, and how much this killing game is taking a toll with her. Her relationship with her shows that when she actually has friends, she can be a sociable and even sweet person. And the person responsible for their deaths......is one of us yet again. But this time, can I really say it's one person? Since there's two victims, it's entirely possible that both were killed by two different people. In that case, is it one person, or two people who caused the murders? Are the murders connected, or are they separate incidents? Thus, begins the fourth trial of hope and despair.

TRIAL PREPERATION

TRUTH BULLETS:

1/23 MONOKUMA FILE 4: "There are two victims in this case. The first victim was Akina Kuroda, the Ultimate Soccer Player. Her body was found in the Ultimate Soccer Player Lab. Her cause of death was a stab to the stomach. The second victim is Gyo Shin Morikawa, the Ultimate Clown. Her body was found in the Museum. Her cause of death was suffocation due to smoke inhalation caused by a fire."

2/23 WOODEN CHAIR: A wooden chair that Gyo Shin was tied to in the museum using duct tape. It is heavily burnt due to the fire.

3/23 BURNT BODY: Gyo Shin's body is heavily burnt, far more than is needed to kill her. It's as if her body was burning for a very long time.

4/23 FIRE SPRINKLERS: The fire sprinklers at the museum were set to go off at 4:50 PM, erasing the fire. They can be turned off and set at certain times at the control panel.

5/23 EMNEI'S ACCOUNT: Emnei and Tetsu were in the library from 1:10 to 3:40 PM, where she suddenly left. When Emnei questioned her, Tetsu said she just had some business to take care of and never gave any specific details on where she was going and why she had to leave.

6/23 GASOLINE CONTRINER: According to Emnei, a single container of gasoline was found to be half-empty.

7/23 DORYO'S ACCOUNT: Until 4:20 PM, Doryo was alone in his dorm room until Tetsu notified him about Akina's body and asked him to leave. As he went with Tetsu to the crime scene, he spotted the museum fire.

8/23 STOLEN MEDICAL EQUIPMENT: According to Yemon, some bandages, an anesthetic, and a syringe were all taken from the infirmary.

9/23 LIGHTER: In the middle of the grass outside the museum, a lighter was found. It is assumed to have been the cause of the fire.

10/23 BURNT GRASS: A patch of burnt grass near the museum that was caused by the museum. However, the patch is very small, indicating the grass wasn't burning for very long, so it didn't have time to spread much.

11/23 RAMP: A ramp from Doryo's lab that was found near the museum.

12/23 BURNT CONCRETE: A patch of damaged concrete was found under the window of Nori's lab, as if it were burnt. However, the concrete is fire-proof and is far away from the burnt grass.

13/23 MATTRESS: A mattress that was found below the window of Yemon's lab.

14/23 LAB BLOODSTAIN: A bloodstain found both inside and outside Akina's lab, as it reaches below the door and onto the grass nearby. It has also splattered both the back and side of the door.

15/23 AKINA'S LAB DOOR: The door to Akina's lab was locked and had to be broken through. The door has a cylinder lock that can only be locked from the inside.

16/23 BLOODY KNIFE: A bloody knife found lodged into Akina's stomach. It is assumed to be the murder weapon.

17/23 NOTE FOR AKINA: A note found in Akina's left pocket that reads the following: "Akina, I have an idea on how we should prevent more murders. No one else should know about this. Let's meet privately in my lab at 1:20 PM, Yemon."

18/23 CELL PHONE: A cell phone found in Akina's right pocket. Based on the call record, an unknown person called Akina at exactly 3:45 PM.

19/23 RENJIRO'S ACCOUNT: At around 1:25 PM, Renjiro spotted Akina leaving Yemon's lab in a hurry.

20/23 TETSU'S ACCOUNT: After Akina's body was discovered, Tetsu left the Ultimate Soccer Player Lab to go get Doryo at 4:00 PM. She didn't come back until 4:30 PM. When questioned about it, she gave a very obvious lie.

21/23 DRIED BLOODSTAIN: A bloodstain found in Yemon's lab. Since it is so dry, it must have been there for a while.

22/23 BLOODY WRENCH: A bloody wrench found in Yemon's lab. No wounds caused by the wrench were found on the victims, so it is unknown why the wrench is bloody.

23/23 NORI'S ACCOUNT: From 1:50 to 3:40 PM, Renjiro, Sashi, Yemon, and Chimon were all watching Nori's movie. Nori was also present the entire time. During the whole ordeal, no one left the room or even their seats, including Nori herself.

CLASS TRIAL IN-SESSION

Monokuma: "Ahem! Now then, let's begin with a basic explanation of the class trial! During the trial you will all debate on who you think the culprit is, and vote for "whodunnit." Vote correctly, and only the blackened will be punished. But if you pick the wrong person, I'll punish everyone besides the blackened, and that person will have the right to graduate from this academy. Also, refusing to vote results in your death, so you better vote for someone."

Emnei: "Just to make things clear, the blackened is the person who killed first, correct?"

Monokuma: "Yep! While they are two victims this time, only the first murder really matters when it comes to finding out the blackened! If most cases anyways."

Nori: "What do you mean, 'most cases'?"

Monokuma: "Well, based on the new rule I'm implemented, if the first killer dies by another murderer's hand, the latter is the blackened in this case. So, let's say Akina really did die first. If Gyo Shin killed Akina, then was set on fire by Renjiro, he becomes the blackened of this case! A similar rule applies if the first murder is a suicide. If Akina killed herself first, then Gyo Shin's killer becomes the blackened."

Renjiro: "Hey, why do I have to be example!? Why couldn't you choose someone like Doryo!?"

Doryo: "Shut the fuck up!"

Renjiro: "Just kidding!"

Chimon: "What about in the example you shown, if Gyo Shin committed suicide by starting the fire herself after murdering Akina? Then does the former become the blackened?"

Monokuma: "Yep. In that case, it's just like a normal suicide. Just vote for the person who killed themselves, but also murdered the first victim."

Yemon: "But what case is it here? Was Akina and Gyo Shin killed by two separate people, or was by the same killer? Did any of them commit suicide, or did one kill another and then got murdered by the true blackened? Fuck, just by adding another murder, instantly everything becomes really complicated."

Nori: "In that case, we just need to figure who killed who in what order. I'm sure if we all work together, we can find out the truth of the case."

Doryo: "But let's say in this case, both bitches were killed by two separate people. In that case, doesn't only the murder of the first person who died matters? That means we would only need to focus on the first murder."

Renjiro: "Even if that is what happened here, I think we should focus on both murders. In order to fully grasp the truth and avenge those who died, we need to find out both killers! But that's only if there really are two killers. There's a possibility that one person killed both victims."

Chimon: "I highly doubt it. The killer has nothing to be gained by murdering two people. Killing only one person is all that's required to graduate. In that case, killing another person just leaves more evidence. It makes it more likely for them to be find out. Killing two people also makes it more likely for the killer to be witnessed by someone, since their crime is taking longer to commit."

Sashi: "It's good that we're all theorizing here, but we should try to figure out what actually happened with the evidence we have instead of blindly guessing."

Emnei: "Even so, there's a lot of aspects to this case. I can already tell that this one is going to be really complicated, and not just because there are two murders instead of one. It's also because we have a very limited pool of suspects. For Akina's murder, everyone except Tetsu and Doryo had an alibi. And if Gyo Shin's murder took after Akina's like we suspected, then that is also the case here. But if it took place before Akina was killed, then Doryo is the only possible suspect."

Doryo: "What the fuck are you talking about!? Doesn't that make the case stupidly easy!? We only have two suspects at most to choose from in either murder! It seems pretty easy to narrow down the blackened based on that! And even if we can't figure out who the fuck did it, it's still fifty-fifty odds!"

Chimon: "You do realize that you are one of the two suspects, right?"

Doryo: "In that case, it was obviously Tetsu! Because I sure as fuck didn't do it!"

Tetsu: "Ahhh! What are you talking about!? I could never kill a person!"

Yemon: "I don't know if you're exactly the most trustworthy person to believe when it comes to who's guilty or innocent."

Renjiro: "Regarding to what Doryo said, he kind of has a point."

Sashi: "That he's innocent and Tetsu is the culprit?"

Renjiro: "Hell no! I'm talking about what he said about making the case super easy if there's only two suspects at most."

Chimon: "If there's anything to learn about these class trials, the simplest answer is almost never the correct answer. Why would the killer murder someone in a way that makes them an obvious suspect? You think they would wait until a time when most or all of us don't have alibis to kill someone."

Yemon: "Unless you're Doryo."

Doryo: "Hey, I already told you I'm done try to kill people! I get that I'm too fucking stupid to commit murder and get away with it!"

Chimon: "But since there's absolutely no evidence that supports the fact that Doryo committed the murder, let's say Tetsu is the culprit. Would you really think she's stupid enough to commit a murder that so obviously points to herself?"

Tetsu: "That's kind of a hard question to answer. It's not like I ever committed a murder before."

Sashi: "You do have a point. Tetsu generally seems like a pretty smart girl, not just with mathematics, but deductive reasoning and general intelligence."

Emnei: "In that case, I don't know what to think at this point! Is it really only those two people!? But both suspects seem unlikely, so what's do we do!?"

Yemon: "I knew we would eventually reach a dead end in this class trials. Are we really all going to die here?"

Doryo: "Can someone please just figure out the answer, because it seriously stresses me out when I think we aren't going to make it out of here alive."

Nori: "Everyone, stop!"

Sashi: "Nori?"

Nori: "You guys are all so stuck up on your own theories that you will never figure out what actually happened. Like Sashi said, instead of thinking of the only possibilities that seem to be the case at the start, how about we try to figure out things step by step using the evidence we already have. Even if this case is more complicated than usual, like the previous cases, we can figure it out if we talk it through and try to solve each contradiction."

Renjiro: "Even so, I have no idea where to start."

Nori: "Monokuma said that in most cases, only the person who committed the first murder is the blackened, so shouldn't we focus on that first?"

Chimon: "And if we can't figure out the truth based on the first murder; we can take a look at the second murder. There's a chance that the killings are connected after all."

Emnei: "In that case, who was killed first?"

Tetsu: "Isn't it obvious. The first victim was obviously Akina."

Sashi: "Tetsu, don't you think it's a bit too early to make that conclusion?"

Tetsu: "But all the evidence points towards it. If Gyo Shin was killed before Akina, the culprit could be none other than Doryo. But like I said earlier, I have an inclination to believe he's not the culprit. First of all, I truly believe he really has given up on trying to kill people, as he himself realizes he's too stupid to commit a successful murder and escape. Not only that, but if he were the culprit, the answer would be far too obvious. You really think the only possible suspect is the actual culprit? Secondly, you all saw the fire in front of the museum, correct? It only burned a rather small patch of grass, meaning it must not have been burning long enough to spread quickly. In that case, the fire must have started recently. In other words, after Akina has already died."

Renjiro: "Not to mention, if the fire started earlier, don't you think someone would have noticed it by now?"

Yemon: "But we were all indoors most of the time we were out of our dorm rooms, well except Doryo. He still stayed in his dorm room, but he was also indoors. How could any of us have noticed the fire until after Akina died?"

Tetsu: "If Akina really died second and the fire had started earlier, wouldn't you think she would have noticed the fire?"

Doryo: "That actually does make sense! That settles it! Akina died first!"

Chimon: "First of all, none of that evidence is conclusive. There are easy explanations for all of your points. I think after being through three class trials, you would realize that assuming things is the dumbest possible thing you can do at a time when a wrong decision can cost us all of our lives."

Emnei: "I hate to say it, but Chimon has a point. You always seem to be a very smart girl who never jumped to conclusions. Why are you being so insistent on this theory of yours?"

Tetsu: "I'm just stating what I think. None of you have to listen to me. If you all decide that Gyo Shin was the first victim, I won't stop you. Besides, I never said that my viewpoint was the absolute truth and there was no doubt. If you really think Akina died last, prove it. I would happily change my mind once the evidence has presented itself."

Still, even when you say all that, it still seems really strange. You didn't jump to conclusions in the last trial, even when the answer seemed so obvious at first, so why is it different this time? Are you really that convinced that your theory is correct? Or are you actually directly involved in this case, and that's why you're trying to convince everyone of the wrong answer? I don't want to believe it. Tetsu has really changed so much. She has opened up to us and become one of our closest friends. I can't believe a nice girl like her would throw everything she's earned with us together in order to escape this place.

Nori: "Tetsu, please stop!"

Tetsu: "Nori?"

Nori: "While you have the right to state what you think, you are pushing your theory way too hard. We still have little to no idea of how the case has occurred, so it's way too early to jump to conclusions on who has died first. It's true that most of the evidence points to Akina being the first victim, but you can never be too sure. First of all, let's try to figure out each incident one by one, and try to solve the mysteries surrounding each of them. Since we think Akina probably died first, how about we start with her murder first?"

Chimon: "True. We have to start somewhere, or else we will keep going in circles."

Renjiro: "Speaking of, regarding Akina's murder, there was something I couldn't figure out no matter how much I tried to think about it."

Nori: "Excellent, there's our first mystery. How about we all talk about it together? I'm sure we can come up with an answer if we all speak out and put our thoughts together."

NON-STOP DEBATE START

TRUTH BULLETS:

1) LAB BLOODSTAIN

2) AKINA'S LAB DOOR

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

. Renjiro: "Akina was *killed in her lab*, correct?"

. Doryo: "Her body was found there...."

. Doryo: "so of course that's correct."

. Renjiro: "However, when we tried to find Akina inside her lab..."

. Renjiro: "the door was locked completely tight!"

. Renjiro: "In that case, how did the killer..."

. Renjiro: "escape the room after killing Akina..."

. Renjiro: "while also locking the door?"

. Nori: "Oh yeah, that stumped me too."

. Nori: "The *door is the only entrance/exit to her lab*, right?"

. Nori: "Then in that case, shouldn't it be impossible?"

. Emnei: "Maybe the killer *locked the door from the outside*?"

. Chimon: "This must be what you call..."

. Chimon: "a locked room mystery."

. Renjiro: "Yeah, and it's confusing the fuck out of me!"

What Renjiro says is true. The door to Akina's lab was locked tight. In that case, how did the killer escape the locked room? Maybe I should look for what definitely isn't the case here.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sashi: "NO, THAT'S WRONG!!!"

BREAK

Sashi: "Actually, I don't think the door could have been locked from the outside."

Emnei: "But the door was the only entrance and exit to Akina's lab, so in that case, it must be the only possibility."

Sashi: "But that's impossible, because this door's lock can only be locked from the inside."

Yemon: "Isn't that the case with literally every fucking door in existence? Stop saying obvious shit and actually state something worthwhile."

Sashi: "......"

I imagine if Akina was still alive, she would immediately yell at Yemon for talking crap about me. So much for that. I really do miss her, but not's the time to dwell about what has already happened. Right now, I have a class trial to solve.

Chimon: "Yes, but if any other method was used to lock the door, you think some sort of evidence would be found nearby. But there was nothing like that at the scene."

Doryo: "Maybe the killer got rid of the evidence?"

Chimon: "I highly doubt that would be the case. If some trick was used, usually the evidence would be left inside the lab, not outside. In that case, the killer couldn't retrieve it because it was inside the locked room."

Sashi: "Not to mention, it's not like the door was locked using some special method. You saw for yourself, didn't you Renjiro? The cylinder lock was turned, which is why it was locked."

Renjiro: "Yeah, I had to turn the lock again to unlock it."

Sashi: "In that case, it seems like the door could only have been locked by turning the cylinder lock, which can only be done from the inside."

Tetsu: "I guess that's true, but that really didn't solve our initial question. All it does it make even more confusing on how the killer was able to do a locked room mystery. If it wasn't locked from the outside, what other possibility is there?"

Yemon: "Actually, clearing this up had actually helped us discover the true answer to this mystery. If it wasn't locked from the outside, there's only one possibility. Only one possible person could have locked the door."

One person? I think I see what Yemon is saying. If the door was locked from the inside, only one person could have done it.

Question: Who locked the lab door?

SELECT ANSWER

A) The killer

B) An accomplice

C) Akina herself

CORRECT ANSWER: C

Sashi: "That must be it."

Sashi: "The person who locked the lab door, is none other than the victim herself, Akina Kuroda."

Emnei: "Yeah. If the person door was indeed locked from the inside, then it could have only been locked by the person who was actually inside the room, Akina."

Doryo: "Well, I guess that's the only possibly, but why the fuck would she do that? She is the victim, correct?"

Yemon: "Not necessarily. It's possible that she's both the victim...and the culprit."

Doryo: "What the fuck are you talking about!?"

Renjiro: "Are you saying Akina committed suicide!?"

Sashi: "What!? That doesn't make any sense! Why would a girl like her commit suicide!?"

Yemon: "Oh, what's the matter? Can somebody not able to handle the truth? That her precious girlfriend killed herself? Well, regardless of your personal feelings, the truth is a part of life, so stop wining and suck it up."

Sashi: "It's not that. It just doesn't really make sense to me."

Yemon: "Explain to me what exactly doesn't make sense to you? Akina locked the lab door herself. That is what you told us, correct? In that case, there's no other possibility. Akina's death was a suicide."

Nori: "Yemon, please stop! You're being way too harsh on Sashi! She was really close to Akina, so you should stop disrespecting her feelings! Also, are we really sure that her death was a suicide?"

Yemon: "Regarding her feelings, I don't really give a crap. What I do care about is her interrupting the trial with her cries of 'oh, I can't believe it. She would never kill herself.' God, it's so obnoxious. Also, can you just shut up? I know you're stupid and all, but how could that not be the case here?"

Tetsu: "I agree with Nori though. I get your point, Yemon. But you're going way too far. You are seriously hurting her feelings. Even the old Chimon wouldn't have said something like that."

Chimon: "Definitely. I would have never said something so harsh. You really need to chill out, dude."

Yemon: "Okay, I'm sorry, alright. If I keep yelling at you, this class trial is going to go on forever."

Sashi: "Thanks for apologizing, Yemon."

Emnei: "Anyways, we were discussing whether or not Akina's death was a suicide?"

Renjiro: "But I thought the answer was obvious. It sucks, but Akina must have killed herself."

Nori: "Still, we should discuss it a little more, just to be sure. Maybe there's another possibility we haven't found yet."

NON-STOP DEBATE START

TRUTH BULLETS:

1) MONOKUMA FILE 4

2) BLOODY KNIFE

3) LAB BLOODSTAIN

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

. Yemon: "^Akina's death was a suicide^."

. Chimon: "But she was stabbed in the stomach."

. Chimon: "Wouldn't that have been pretty difficult to do by yourself?"

. Renjiro: "Not if you're strong enough."

. Renjiro: "*She was more than physically capable*..."

. Renjiro: "to stab herself in the stomach."

. Yemon: "And that's not even getting into the lab door."

. Yemon: "The door was locked from the inside, so..."

. Yemon: "*after locking the door*..."

. Yemon: "she must have killed herself right then and there."

. Emnei: "Are you sure this is correct?"

. Emnei: "Akina doesn't seem like someone who would end her life."

Did Akina really kill herself? I know she locked the door, but is that really conclusive enough to prove that she did it?

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sashi: "NO, THAT'S WRONG!!!"

BREAK

Sashi: "I'm sorry Yemon, but that's incorrect."

Yemon: "You again? Let's hope you actually have evidence this time."

Sashi: "I assure you that I do have proof. Yemon, you claimed that Akina killed herself after locking the door, right?"

Yemon: "That's not just a claim. That's what actually happened."

Sashi: "In that case, how do you explain the bloodstain found in her lab?"

Yemon: "Bloodstain? What does that have to do with anything?"

Emnei: "The bloodstain wasn't just in her lab, but also outside of it. The whole thing stretched under the door and outside the lab."

Nori: "Oh, that reminds me! When I was investigating Akina's lab, I notice that the bloodstain had also splattered on both the back and side of the door! In that case, she had to have been stabbed while the door was opened."

Chimon: "That might actually be the smartest thing I've ever heard from your mouth."

Nori: "Oh, really? I don't know. Maybe after being through so many class trials, I finally gotten the hang of things."

Chimon: "That's good."

Sashi: "Like Nori said, the only possible explanation for this is that she was stabbed while the door was still opened. In that case, how could she have locked the door before this had happened? The door has to be unlocked in order to open it. Akina must have been stabbed before she locked the door."

Yemon: "Yeah, I get your point, but how does this have to do with her death being a suicide? No matter where she was stabbed, she still killed herself."

Emnei: "Actually, where she was stabbed is actually pretty solid evidence that she was murdered by someone else's hands. If Akina killed herself, wouldn't you think she would have done it in the middle of the room? Why would she do in such a strange place? If she did it in the middle of the room, nobody could hear her as long as the door was closed, and nobody could stop her because the door was also locked."

Tetsu: "I think it's more likely that after the killer got Akina to open up the door, they stabbed her right then and there. It was done in such a strange place because it was meant to catch her off guard."

Renjiro: "Hold on, you're saying she was stabbed outside the lab? But then why was her body found in the middle of the room?"

Sashi: "Her body could have easily been moved there."

Renjiro: "But if the door was locked, how could they have moved the body inside?"

Yemon: "Also, the door was locked from the inside, which points to it being a suicide. But Akina was also stabbed right near the open door, which points to it being a murder. So, which is it? It has to be one or the other? Personally, I would believe the former, as no one else could have locked the door except Akina, which you yourself pointed out."

Sashi: "Actually, there is a way to explain this with it still counting as a murder."

Doryo: "How!? What the fuck are you talking about!?"

Sashi: "Because this wasn't just any ordinary murder. This was a special type of murder."

Emnei: "Special type? What kind of murder is it then?"

That's what I need to figure out. If the door was both locked by Akina, and she was stabbed by the real culprit while it was open, then what type of murder is it?

HANGMAN'S GAMBIT START

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Question: What type of murder is Akina's?

AVILABLE LETTERS: M D R I E S U T A C B

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CORRECT ANSWER: ASSISTED SUICIDE

Sashi: "I see now!"

COMPLETE

Sashi: "Akina's death wasn't just a murder."

Doryo: "Wasn't just a murder? Are you fucking stupid or something?"

Sashi: "No. It was more than just a murder. It was also a suicide! That's right, Akina's death was both a murder and a suicide!"

Emnei: "Sashi, what the hell are you talking about? How can it be both? Besides, didn't you just finish saying that it wasn't a suicide, but a murder?"

Sashi: "Well, it is technically only a murder. But that's only 'technically'. In reality, the person who initiated Akina's death was not the killer, but the victim herself."

Chimon: "So you're saying it was assisted suicide?"

Sashi: "Yes. In that way, it is both a suicide and a murder. While Akina was technically murdered, she told someone else to kill her, so she wanted to end her life. In that way, it is also a suicide."

Renjiro: "Are you fucking kidding me!? That's even worse than her killing herself! It might even be worse than a regular murder! Because not only did Akina personally hated her life so much that she wanted to die, but someone actually committed the act, meaning they could face execution! And now we have to figure out who it is!"

Nori: "I just don't understand! Why would she want to die so badly!? I never saw her as that type of person!"

Sashi: "Yeah, me neither. It's shocking, but that's the truth. Even though Akina wanted her death, it was still caused by one of us here. I don't get why she wanted her life to end, but I'm sure the killer knows why, so I shouldn't dwell on it."

Emnei: "I really wish this wasn't the truth though. I would rather it either just be a suicide, or a murder, rather than both."

We were also so shocked by my answer being the truth. A few of us even cried a little, but it didn't take long for us to get back on track.

Yemon: "But if Akina's death really was an assisted suicide, then I guess it does explain everything. First, Akina opened the lab door. Then the killer stabbed Akina with a knife, leaving the bloodstain on the side and back of the door. The killer then shut the lab door, leaving Akina alone inside the lab. Finally, Akina locked the door herself and walked towards the middle of the room, where she took her last breath. It explains both the bloodstain and the locked door."

Renjiro: "But here's what I don't get. If the purpose of this was just to end Akina's life as she wanted, why did the killer apply the whole locked room mystery? Couldn't they have just stabbed Akina in the middle of the room and then left?"

Tetsu: "They probably did that so we would make the same mistake we did and assume it was a suicide. That way, they could hide the truth of the act."

Chimon: "But even so, they could still kill her in the middle of the room and then leave. If they done that, the door bloodstain wouldn't have been found, and the evidence pointing to the death actually being a murder would not exist."

Doryo: "Maybe it was just a mistake? Like I couldn't have possibly predicted something like that happening."

Chimon: "I know you wouldn't see how that would make your plan fail, but if the culprit was someone else, I don't think they would be dumb enough to do something like that. Even so, if it was an assisted suicide, it doesn't really make sense for the killer to stab Akina right next to the door. Like I said, they could have just stabbed Akina in the middle of the room and then left. Akina could have then locked the door, and then collapse right where she was stabbed."

Sashi: "True, the killer could have done that, but I think it would have been too big of a risk for them. Being stabbed so deeply in the stomach, Akina probably didn't have much energy to walk around much, or time left to life in general. In that case, it's entirely possible for Akina to have died before even reaching the door lock, completely ruining the plan of making us think her death was a suicide. However, if the killer stabbed Akina right near the door and then shut it, she almost certainly been able to reach the lock and at least walk partly away from it before dying."

Yemon: "Still, right after the movie seems like a strange place to kill Tetsu. After all, everyone at the movie would have had alibis, making it easier to find out the culprit once the trick was revealed by process of elimination. Also, by killing Akina while the door was opened, they were practically begging for her to scream, luring us to the crime scene. In that case, we would have certainly had alibis as we ran towards the source of the scream."

Sashi: "As for the timing of her murder, even I'm not so sure about that, as the killer should have known when the movie would end. In that case, it would make more sense to kill before the movie had started, as by the time everyone would have gotten their separate ways after watching Nori's movie, free time for the day would have likely ended."

Nori: "Disregarding the questionable cleverness of the plan, we know now for sure that this was an assisted suicide orchestrated by both the victim and the culprit. At this point, I'm pretty sure we know exactly how Akina's murder went down. Now, all we need to do is figure out who was responsible for the crime."

Sashi: "We don't need to spend much time figuring it out. In fact, I already know who it is."

Renjiro: "You do!?"

Doryo: "Who the fuck is it!?"

Who killed Akina? While it's entirely possible that they aren't even the true blackened of this case, I should still reveal their identity. Based on everyone's alibis and statements, it could really only be one person.

SELECT SOMEONE

CORRECT ANSWER: TETSU YANAGI

Sashi: "It has to be you."

DECIDE

Sashi: "There's only one person it could possibly be. It's Tetsu. I couldn't think of anybody else."

Emnei: "Sashi, what are you saying!? Tetsu is the culprit!?"

Renjiro: "I refuse! I refuse to believe this!"

Nori: "Why!? Why would she do something like this!? This can't be right!"

Chimon: "It's sad, but it's true. Just based on our alibis, she's the only one who could be it."

Tetsu: "Sashi, Chimon, what are you guys saying!? Even if they wanted to die, I could never kill anyone! I especially wouldn't try to hide it from the start when I know that a wrong decision could kill us all! I thought you two were my friends! So where is this accusation coming from!? What do you mean 'based on our alibis'!? I have no idea what you're talking about!"

Yemon: "But, remember, the only ones who could have committed the murder were Tetsu and Doryo. Everyone else had alibis. Right after Akina's scream, everyone at Nori's lab ran towards the crime scene. And right after, we ran into Emnei. Considering his position and how little time it has been since Akina last screamed, it couldn't have been him. Then it could only be one of the two people who weren't initially with us when we found Akina's body, Doryo and Tetsu."

Tetsu: "Then it's Doryo, because I for sure didn't kill her!"

Sashi: "No, it can't be him either."

Renjiro: "Why not!?"

Question: Why can't Doryo be the killer?

SELECT ANSWER

A) Doryo was in his room

B) He has no motive

C) He's too stupid

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CORRECT ANSWER: A

Sashi: "Because Doryo was in his room at the time."

Tetsu: "It's true that I saw him there, but that doesn't mean he was there when Akina was killed!"

Chimon: "But the fact that he was there in the first place is rather strange if the killer was him. Doryo, if you killed her, would you run to your room, or would you run in the crowd and find Akina's body with the rest of us."

Doryo: "Obviously the latter. Like I know I'm fucking stupid, but what's the point of running back to my room? People would find me eventually. Besides, I know where the body is, so wouldn't I have immediately gone to the crime scene as soon as I hear the body discovery announcement?"

Yemon: "Whelp, if even Doryo can figure out that running to his room is stupid, then he probably isn't the killer."

Renjiro: "Still, isn't it possible that he simply didn't think about that at the time?"

Sashi: "I doubt it. Like I said, there's no point in going to your room, so why would he do it in the first place? All that would do is arose suspicion because you were the only one who didn't find the body. Also, like Doryo said, if he heard the body discovery announcement, having committed the murder, he would know exactly where the body is. In that case, he wouldn't need someone to escort him towards the crime scene."

Emnei: "Yeah, I see your point. With Tetsu on the other hand, right after we discovered the body, she ran in. That must mean she was nearby. After stabbing Akina and shutting the door, she must have hid nearby to prevent anybody from seeing her near the crime scene. Once everyone ran inside, she just joined them."

Tetsu: "That may be so, but this is all just a coincidence! So, I'm the culprit and not Doryo just because of what you think he wouldn't do!? That's not even evidence! You people are so hurtful! I really didn't kill anybody!"

NON-STOP DEBATE START

1) TETSU'S ACCOUNT

2) EMNEI'S ACCOUNT

3) AKINA'S LAB DOOR

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

. Tetsu: "I didn't kill Akina!"

. Chimon: "But based on everyone's alibis..."

. Chimon: "it could only be you."

. Renjiro: "What about Doryo?"

. Renjiro: "*It could have easily been him*!"

. Yemon: "If he was the culprit...."

. Yemon: "why was he in his room?"

. Tetsu: "He probably needed some time alone...."

. Tetsu: "to think about what he has done!"

. Doryo: "You think *I'm really the type to feel guilty*?"

. Tetsu: "Regardless of what you think about Doryo's actions...."

. Tetsu: "You still have *no concrete evidence* to support your claims!"

. Tetsu: "This is all based on what you think Doryo wouldn't do!"

. Tetsu: "It's all just a coincidence, I swear!"

Tetsu is the one who killed Akina. That's where my logic led me. The problem is, how do I prove it?

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sashi: "NO, THAT'S WRONG!"

BREAK

Sashi: "No, Tetsu. It's not just because of Doryo being in his room. There's also evidence."

Tetsu: ".... What?"

Emnei: "What do you mean, what? I know you realize what we're talking about. I saw it for myself. You suddenly leaving me in the library at 3:40 PM."

Renjiro: "Hold on! She could have left for any reason! It doesn't mean she left in order to kill someone!"

Sashi: "Oh, really? Then why did you leave, Tetsu?"

Tetsu: "I just had some business to take care of."

Emnei: "That's the exact same thing you said last time! Tetsu, why aren't you telling me specific details!? Do you want me to suspect you!?"

Tetsu: "Because, it's not something you should worry about."

Chimon: "What do you mean, it's nothing something we should worry about? Our lives rest on these types of details."

Yemon: "Not to mention, isn't the timing a little too perfect? She left right around when Nori's movie ended. That's why she stuck with Emnei for so long. She was waiting for Nori's movie to end so she could commit her crime."

Sashi: "Considering all of this, there is no doubt. The culprit who killed Akina Kuroda is none other than you, Tetsu Yanagi."

Tetsu: "......"

Nori: "Is it true, Tetsu? Did you really kill Akina?"

Tetsu: "......"

Nori: "Please! Please answer us, Tetsu!"

Tetsu: "....... I'm really sorry everyone. Yes, it's true. I killed Akina."

Renjiro: "Why!? Why would you do such a thing!?"

Tetsu: "I really didn't have any ill intent, I swear. I hated the idea of killing my friend, but I did it for her. She really felt miserable having to live in such a terrible situation, so she wanted me to kill her. Akina thought about doing with her own hands but couldn't give herself the courage to do it herself, so she asked for me to do it."

Emnei: "Still, you could have stopped her! If she was feeling miserable, you should have tried to cheer her up, or done something to make her life better! You didn't have to end her life!"

Tetsu: "I tried, I really did, but I don't think anything I could have done would convince her. Rather than force someone to live a life they know they can't find enjoyment in, isn't it better to free them of their situation, even if it costs them their life?"

Chimon: "Listen, I get your motivations, I really do. But why did you have to hide it? With the whole locked room mystery, we could have easily believed it was a suicide and voted for Akina based on that. Not to mention, you didn't confess until it was already too late. If we voted incorrectly, everyone except you could have died, you know!"

Tetsu: "I'm sorry, I really am. I just couldn't have the courage to admit to it. Besides, I felt like even if I had admitted to the crime, nobody would believe me. So, I figured I would let you guys figure out the answer. I knew you would find out eventually anyways. Besides, it's better to be prepared for these kinds of things, you know. If I told you the answer from the start, you guys would be prepared to figure out any future culprits that may appear. It's important to learn how to find the truth on your own."

Nori: "So did you think you were going to be caught in the first place?"

Tetsu: "Pretty much. I thought it would be too selfish of me to try to make the murder too difficult to solve, so I decided to kill Akina after the movie, giving alibis to at least five of the suspects, which were everyone who watched Nori's film. However, I still tried to hide my crime to some extent in order to serve as a test to you all. It's not easy to show yourself as the culprit right away, after all. That's why I created the whole locked room scenario."

Yemon: "Okay, so we now know for sure that you killed Akina. But, regarding Gyo Shin's murder, did you have nothing to do with it?"

Tetsu: "No. In fact, I wasn't even aware that anything was happening to Gyo Shin at the time, so I was just as shocked to see her burnt body as the rest of you."

Sashi: "If you had nothing to do with her murder, why were you so insistent on her dying after Akina? If Gyo Shin died first, you wouldn't be executed, you know. So, wouldn't you rather believe that Akina died last?"

Tetsu: "Because I wanted to get caught. I wanted to be punished. Even if Akina consented to it, it's still not right to kill someone. So, I thought I should let myself get executed for my crimes. Like I said, I wasn't trying to stop anyone from thinking otherwise. I was just saying my personal thoughts. However, it wasn't just because I wanted to believe that Akina died first, and the fact that most of the evidence pointed towards for it. There's something I know that makes my theory correct without a doubt."

Nori: "Huh?"

Tetsu: "Both before and after I killed Akina, I swear I took a glance at the museum, and there was no fire in sight. Both inside, and out."

Doryo: "How the fuck could you notice that there wasn't a fire inside the museum from all the way over there!?"

Tetsu: "The windows are pretty big, so I'm sure I would have seen a fire, especially if it was right in the middle of the museum. But I looked at the windows, and I saw no sign of fire. The windows showed exactly what they normally show."

What? If this is really true, then Akina really did die first? But that seems so weird. Normally the answer is never that simple. I thought the entire murder plan from the beginning was to make the death order different from what we would originally think. Is Tetsu just misseeing things? At this point, I would highly doubt she would lie. Since she herself has already admitted to her crime, and she wants to be executed. Even if she had something to do with both murders, there's still no reason to lie, as she would be caught regardless. I guess I was wrong for thinking that Gyo Shin might have been the first victim. Akina really did die first.

Renjiro: "But in that case, doesn't that mean you'll be executed!? If you're Akina's culprit and she died first, you are the blackened by trial rules!"

Tetsu: "Yep. Like I said, I already wanted this to happen, so I'm prepared. Don't worry about me guys. Let's just vote and get this trial over with already. I don't want you guys to have to deal with any more trouble."

Yemon: "But shouldn't we still try to figure out Gyo Shin's murder, and who killed her? Isn't it necessary, not only to avenge her death, but to find out who we need to be wary of in the future?"

Tetsu: "Normally, I would say yes. However, I just want to get this execution done already. The longer I wait, the more scared I get, and the more guilt I start to feel. Let's just finish this."

Huh? Are we really not going to solve the mystery of Gyo Shin's murder? It is really okay to end things like this. I know this is what Tetsu wants, but it feels so incomplete. But this is Tetsu's responsibility.

Emnei: "Are you sure there isn't a mistake somewhere!? Is it really okay to end the trial like this!?"

Tetsu: "Yes. Please, for my sake, let's get this over with. Monokuma, we're ready. Let's start the Voting Time."

CLASS TRIAL ALLRISE!

TRIAL PHASES:

1\. NON-STOP DEBATE

2\. NON-STOP DEBATE

3\. HANGMAN'S GAMBIT

4\. NON-STOP DEBATE

CLASS TRIAL END

Monokuma: "Wow, I really didn't think this class trial would end so quickly! Not like I'm complaining or anything! Not it's time to vote for who you think the blackened is! The heart-racing excitement as the blackened and the spotless face off! It's... VOTING-!"

Nori: "HOLD ON JUST A MINUTE!!!"

Monokuma: "What is it!? You do realize it's now voting time, right!?"

Nori: "No, it's not! I refuse to let anybody vote now!"

Chimon: "Huh? But Tetsu has already admitted to the crime, and her testimony proves that Akina died first, so she's definitely the blackened of this case."

Emnei: "Nori, I know you don't want to see Tetsu get executed, but it's going to happen eventually, so there's no use delaying it."

Nori: "This isn't about that! I just don't think it's right to completely gloss over Gyo Shin's death! One of us killed her, so we have a responsibility to find out who it is!"

Tetsu: "Nori, I understand how you may feel about not covering the death of one of your friends, but I don't know if I can handle living much longer, knowing what I've done. We can think about the details of the crime later. Right now, we should just end the trial right here and now with my execution. This is the best outcome for me."

Nori: "If there's anytime to talk about her death, it's now! Besides, are you guys really okay with voting when you don't even know how 90% of what happened even occurred!? What about all the evidence we found!? Does it all account to nothing!? Think about what Gyo Shin would think about this!? I know she wasn't the most pleasant of people, but to treat her like this, it'd just so wrong! I'm sorry Tetsu. I realize you want to be executed as soon as possible, but can you please hold on just a little longer."

Tetsu: "W-W-What?"

Sashi: "I'm sorry, but I have to agree with Nori. It doesn't feel morally right to ignore Gyo Shin's murder. Besides, this is not just for her, but for us as well. We need to find out her killer, even if they aren't the blackened in this case, because then they will survive with us. Depending on their motive, they could be someone we need to seriously watch out for in the future. What if we end the trial like this, and the person who killed Gyo Shin turns out to be a literal psychopath? Would you happy be living with a psychopath during the rest of the time we will spend here without even knowing it?"

Renjiro: "Not really, no."

Nori: "Then don't you think we should just at least try to figure out what happened? It's not like there's any rush to vote. We can do it at any time."

Emnei: "I hate to admit it, but Nori and Sashi have a good point. It's not good to end the trial like this. We need to figure out the complete truth of the case, or else we will leave here completely dissatisfied!"

Yemon: "I agree with this! This just isn't right! We need to examine Gyo Shin's murder as well!"

Doryo: "Eh, I would have preferred ending this dumbass trial as soon as possible, but if everyone else wants to continue it, I'm not going to object."

Renjiro: "I guess there's no harm in continuing it."

Nori: "So, what do you say to this, Tetsu?"

Tetsu: "......"

For some reason, Tetsu looked utterly shocked. It's like she never expected this to happen. For a while, she just stood there in silence. But after enough time, she finally responded.

Tetsu: "........ Alright. Gyo Shin was my friend after all, so it doesn't feel okay to just leave her hanging. I would rather get executed now, but I think I can hold on a little longer."

Nori: "Alright, then let's continue the trial!"

Monokuma: "Wow, an even more shocking turn of events! The voting time has been interrupted! Not like I'm complaining! The longer the class trial, the better! As long as it doesn't get boring, I'm happy to comply! But if you guys want to vote again, just let me know!"

Emnei: "Now that we figured out Akina's murder, what should we do next? Are we going to cover Gyo Shin's murder?"

Sashi: "Actually, before we do that, I want to figure something out. This is something that probably doesn't directly have to do with Akina's murder, but is related to her, nonetheless. It has to do with what she was doing earlier today. I feel like we should figure out everything related to Akina before we move on to Gyo Shin."

Tetsu: "Sure, I don't mind. But what are you thinking about?"

Sashi: "It has to do with where she was earlier today."

Yemon: "Where was she?"

Question: What shows where Akina was before her death?

SELECT TRUTH BULLET

CORRECT ANSWER: RENJIRO'S ACCOUNT

Sashi: "That's it."

Sashi: "Renjiro, you saw Akina early this afternoon, correct?"

Renjiro: "Yeah, at exactly 1:25 PM, I saw her rushing out of Yemon's lab in a hurry."

Yemon: "My lab? What the hell was she doing there?"

Emnei: "I guess that's what we should figure out."

Chimon: "Also, we should find out why she was in such a hurry? Maybe it has to do with what happened inside Yemon's lab."

Sashi: "In any case, I think we need to discuss this a little more."

NON-STOP DEBATE START

TRUTH BULLETS:

1) NOTE FOR AKINA

2) DRIED BLOODSTAIN

3) BLOODY WRENCH

4) MONOKUMA FILE 4

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

. Renjiro: "I saw Akina leave Yemon's lab..."

. Renjiro: "but what was she doing there?"

. Yemon: "^Maybe she was trying to find me^?"

. Yemon: "But I definitely wasn't in my lab at the time."

. Emnei: "That could have been part of it..."

. Emnei: "but it doesn't explain why she left in such a hurry."

. Nori: "Maybe ^she had somewhere to go^?"

. Nori: "It's possible she needed to ^go meet someone^."

. Chimon: "Maybe ^someone tried to attack her^..."

. Chimon: "in Yemon's lab, so she ran out..."

. Chimon: "out of fear for her life?"

. Tetsu: "Did she ^not want to be seen^..."

. Tetsu: "so she ran away before anyone could see her?"

Why was Akina in Yemon's lab? And more importantly, why was she in such a rush?"

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sashi: "I agree with that!"

BREAK

Sashi: "That's right, Chimon. Someone did try to attack Akina in Yemon's lab."

Nori: "Huh? But who would do such a thing? That's awful!"

Emnei: "Whoever it is, it's definitely not Tetsu, as she was with me in the library at the time."

Tetsu: "That's correct. In that case, this must be a completely separate incident from Akina's actual murder!"

Yemon: "You're saying that someone tried to attack Akina? I assume you do have evidence for this and aren't just bluffing."

Chimon: "While me and Sashi were investigating Akina's body, we found something interesting in her left pocket. It was a note that was specifically directed towards her. This is what it says: 'Akina, I have an idea on how we should prevent more murders. No one else should know about this. Let's meet privately in my lab at 1:20 PM, Yemon.' This is why Akina was in Yemon's lab in the first place! Someone called Akina to Yemon's lab and attacked her."

Renjiro: "Hold on! Why is Yemon's signature on it, and why his lab out of all places!? You didn't actually write this note, right!?"

Yemon: "Of course not! I've never seen that fucking note in my entire life! I was in my room at the time! I had nothing to do with this so called 'attack'."

Doryo: "Why the fuck should we believe you!?"

Chimon: "But in any case, this wasn't just any attack. Whoever wrote this note was actually trying to kill Akina."

Nori: "Kill!? Who the fuck would do something like that!?"

Sashi: "As whether or not Yemon wrote this note, I can't be entirely sure yet. But there's one thing I will say. If Yemon was trying to kill Akina, why would he write his own signature on it? That just points all the suspicion towards him."

Emnei: "Maybe he was planning on getting rid of the note later."

Sashi: "But that would never happen because their murder attempt failed miserably. Akina caught on immediately and escaped the scene."

Renjiro: "But if their attempt failed, then they can't be punished for it! So, whoever it is who did it, you better admit it right now!"

Despite Renjiro's pleas, no one admitted anything. It seemed the person responsible for this has chosen to remain silent until the end."

Renjiro: "Fine! I guess we have to do this the hard way then!"

Tetsu: "Okay, so we get someone was trying to kill Akina, but what does that have to do with this case? The attempt failed anyways, so it all accounts to nothing."

Chimon: "No, actually. This incident is related to the murders, I'm sure of it. If we found out what exactly happened in Yemon's lab, and who tried to kill Akina, the connection will reveal itself."

Yemon: "It seems like you already know the answer, so why don't you just say it! God, I fucking hate you so much! Making us have to go through this fucking class trials when you already know the goddamn answer!"

Chimon: "Just because I have an answer in my mind, doesn't mean I automatically know it's the correct one, asshole. That's why we need to figure out this together. To make sure my thoughts are correct. We need an answer we can all agree with. If all you are going to do is insult me, then just shut the fuck up."

Yemon: "Fuck you!"

Chimon: "You really want to start this again?"

Nori: "Why won't you guys stop fighting!? I swear, every since around the time the third motive was revealed, you guys have been at each other's throats! Like, what the hell happened between you two!?"

Chimon: "Why is it any of your damn business?"

Nori: "It's not, but still! If I could figure out the source of the conflict between you two, I could possibly resolve the situation!"

Yemon: "We're not saying shit, so fuck off!"

Nori: "Yemon! You seriously need to stop it with your attitude!"

No matter how much we pressure them about it, the two never want to admit what caused them to become such bitter enemies. At this point, are we ever going to find out? Will they ever be able to make up?

Chimon: "Anyways, rather than arguing about this for hours, let's go back to what I was talking about. Right now, we should discuss what exactly happened in Yemon's lab, and who's possibly responsible for the attempted murder of Akina."

NON-STOP DEBATE START

1) BLOODY WRENCH

2) NOTE FOR AKINA

3) MATTRESS

4) DRIED BLOODSTAIN

5) STOLEN MEDICAL EQUIPMENT

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

. Chimon: "Someone wrote a note to Akina..."

. Chimon: "asking her to *meet in Yemon's lab at exactly 1:20 PM*."

. Emnei: "However, their murder attempt failed..."

. Emnei: "as Akina knew what was going on..."

. Emnei: "and immediately fled the scene."

. Renjiro: "Which was witnessed by me."

. Nori: "But who would do such a thing?"

. Nori: "Do we even have ^evidence pointing to who did it^?"

. Tetsu: "However, one thing is for sure..."

. Tetsu: "*Akina never got physically attacked*..."

. Tetsu: "as her body had *no injuries other than the stab wound*."

. Doryo: "So, basically *nothing actually happened in Yemon's lab*."

. Doryo: "This whole discussion is entirely fucking pointless!"

What happened in Yemon's lab? Who wrote the note to Akina and tried to kill her? This has to be related to the case, so I have to find the answer.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sashi: "NO, THAT'S WRONG!!!"

BREAK

Sashi: "That's wrong Doryo. Something did happen in Yemon's lab."

Doryo: "What the fuck are you talking about!? You literally said the murder attempted failed, so nothing happened, you fucking dumbass!"

Yemon: "Doryo, can you kindly shut the fuck up?"

Emnei: "But something actually did happen. When I was investigating his lab, I noticed that there was an inexplicable bloodstain there. However, since Gyo Shin had no external injuries and Akina was killed in her research lab, the sheer existence of this bloodstain is extremely odd."

Renjiro: "Not to mention, wasn't it rather dry? In that case, it must have been there a long time."

Sashi: "If the bloodstain was indeed created at the time the note asked for Akina to meet Yemon, then that would explain why it was so dry. 1:20 PM is several hours before any of us have actually discovered the bloodstain. Akina's bloodstain was much wetter in comparison."

Nori: "But if it wasn't Akina's blood, then who whose was it? Was it the attacker's blood?"

Tetsu: "Oh, maybe Akina fought back, which is what caused the bloodstain!"

Yemon: "Hold on. Why are we so certain that the bloodstain was caused by an attack? Blood can leak out for several reasons, you know."

Sashi: "Because there's evidence to support it. Specifically, a weapon that was used to try to kill Akina."

Question: What weapon was used to try to murder Akina?

SELECT TRUTH BULLET

CORRECT ANSWER: BLOODY WRENCH

Sashi: "That's it."

Sashi: "The bloodstain wasn't the only err, bloody thing at the crime scene. There was also a bloody weapon found in Yemon's lab! This weapon was a bloody wrench! There's no doubt that this weapon is bloody because someone used it to attack another, causing the bloodstain!"

Tetsu: "In that case, Akina must have stolen the wrench from the culprit's hands and hit them with it! That explains both the wrench and the bloodstain!"

Chimon: "Really? Are we really so certain that's what happened? Besides, we don't even know who attacked them. In that case, the mystery of this incident still hasn't been solved."

Renjiro: "Well we still have no idea who was behind the attempted murder, but isn't that the only answer possible? The attacker has to have been the one who was hurt."

Nori: "First off, we should never assume things unless we have the proper evidence. Also, if someone disagrees with our idea of what happened, we should either try to convince them or listen to what they think."

Sashi: "Nori's right. It's still far too early to jump to conclusions. Until we know who did it, we can't truly figure out what happened."

Emnei: "But is there even any evidence to indicate who did it?"

Sashi: "Not at the moment. I can't figure it out with all the info we have no matter how much we try. Besides, this incident took place at 1:20 PM. At that time, everyone except Emnei and Tetsu had rock-solid alibis."

Doryo: "Shit! Have we hit another fucking wall!?"

Yemon: "Not necessarily. If we still can't figure out the mystery behind one incident, maybe the answer will reveal itself by looking at another one. We still haven't truly covered Gyo Shin's murder, after all."

Chimon: "That's true. Maybe we should change our focus to her murder. It's possible that the incidents are connected, don't you think?"

Nori: "Then let's start about what we already know about her murder and lead the discussion from there."

Tetsu: "Well, we definitely know for sure that it took place after Akina's murder, but as for the specific details, I have no idea."

Sashi: "Then we just have to debate in order to find the answer."

NON-STOP DEBATE START

TRUTH BULLETS:

1) LIGHTER

2) FIRE SPRINKLERS

3) BURNT GRASS

4) BURNT BODY

5) WOODEN CHAIR

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

. Nori: "Gyo Shin died in the fire *that started at the museum*."

. Emnei: "That fire not only *covered the inside of the museum*..."

. Emnei: "but also the grass outside."

. Tetsu: "There was a lighter near the crime scene."

. Tetsu: "That was *what must have been used to cause the fire*."

. Renjiro: "But what was Gyo Shin doing at the museum in the first place?"

. Doryo: "Oh, I've got an idea!"

. Chimon: "Whatever it is, it's going to be wrong."

. Doryo: "Can't you just fucking listen to what I have to say!?"

. Doryo: "^Using a note just like the one Akina got^..."

. Doryo: "they lured Gyo Shin into the museum."

. Doryo: "Then they trapped her inside and set..."

. Doryo: "*the entire fucking thing to blazes*!"

. Doryo: "That must mean that both Akina's attempted murder..."

. Doryo: "and Gyo Shin's murder ^were done by the same fucking person^!"

. Yemon: "We should honestly just duct tape this idiot's mouth shut."

How was Gyo Shin killed? How was the fire started? Maybe if I look at everyone's answers, the truth will present itself.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sashi: "NO, THAT'S WRONG!!!"

Sashi: "Wrong again, Doryo. The entire museum wasn't set on fire. In fact, the museum wasn't technically set on fire at all. Only something inside the museum was set on fire."

Doryo: "Why the fuck do you always have to ruin the spotlight!? Can't I just be fucking right at least one time!?"

Chimon: "No, because you're always wrong in the first place."

Doryo: "Shut up!"

Tetsu: "Anyways, Sashi, you're thinking of the wooden chair that Gyo Shin was tied to, correct?"

Sashi: "Yes. The museum itself wasn't directly set on fire. Rather, it was the chair that was set ablaze."

Yemon: "Which should have been obvious since we literally saw only the chair inside the museum on fire. But I guess we have to explain everything just so we can get the dumbasses to understand."

Doryo: "Just so you know, I noticed that the wooden chair was the only thing on fire! I just thought that the fire extinguished itself everywhere except the chair! The chair took longer to burn, so the fire still stayed there!"

Emnei: "That doesn't even make any sense."

Chimon: "Not to mention, the museum is made out of fucking marble, so it isn't flammable anyways."

Nori: "Hold on, I have a question."

Sashi: "What is it, Nori?"

Nori: "Gyo Shin was tied to a wooden chair using duct tape, correct? But how were they able to do that without her resisting?"

Sashi: "There's an easy explanation to that."

Question: Why didn't Gyo Shin resist to being tied to a wooden chair?

SELECT ANSWER

A) She was drugged

B) She was knocked out

C) It was assisted suicide

D) She tied herself up

CORRECT ANSWER: A

Sashi: "That's it."

Sashi: "Gyo Shin must have been drugged, rending her unconscious. Isn't that right, Yemon?"

Yemon: "Yeah. I noticed during my investigation that an anesthetic and a syringe were taken from the infirmary."

Doryo: "What the fuck is an anesthetic!?"

Chimon: "It's a drug that instantly causes you to fall asleep. It's often used in surgeries and such."

Doryo: "What the fuck are surgeries!?"

Renjiro: "Are you actually serious!?"

Doryo: "Of course not, stupid! I have no idea what a syringe is though."

Chimon: "I think you were right about taping this guy's mouth shut, Yemon. Do any of you have duct tape?"

Doryo: "No! You aren't taping my fucking mouth shut! I refuse!"

Nori: "Even if it is Doryo, we shouldn't silence him like that. Everyone should participate in the class trial, even if they have nothing worthwhile to say."

Doryo: "I hope you all fucking drop dead!"

Nori: "I have never once changed my mind so quickly."

Yemon: "Anyways, since a syringe was stolen from the infirmary, that must have been what was used to inject the anesthetic into Gyo Shin's body, rending her unconscious."

Emnei: "Okay, so now we know why Gyo Shin didn't stop the killer from tying her to a wooden chair. It's because she physically couldn't because she was asleep the whole time."

Tetsu: "But in that case, where was she drugged? Was she really just lured to the museum and knocked unconscious there?"

Yemon: "Actually, no. Gyo Shin was not even near the crime scene, but somewhere else entirely. That was where her body was moved from."

Sashi: "Huh? Really, Yemon?"

Renjiro: "I have literally no idea what you're talking about."

Yemon: "Fine. Well, I guess I just have to help you find the answer myself."

Yemon: "LET'S RACE TO THE CORRECT ANSWER!!!"

Huh? Is Yemon actually helping me? He's certainly been a lot ruder lately, so this is kind of a surprise. But I'm obviously not complaining.

Yemon: "Think about it, where could Gyo Shin have been previously? If she wasn't near the museum, where was she? Think about what locations she could possibly be near."

LOGIC TEAM START

TRUTH BULLETS:

1) RAMP

2) STOLEN MEDICAL EQUIPMENT

3) MATTRESS

4) LIGHTER

5) BURNT CONCRETE

6) DORYO'S ACCOUNT

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

. Yemon: "If Gyo Shin wasn't at the museum..."

. Yemon: "in the first place..."

. Yemon: "then ^her body must have been moved there^!"

. Yemon: "Wherever she was previously..."

. Yemon: "that's where ^she was drugged with the anesthetic^!"

. Yemon: "The killer then moved her unconscious body..."

. Yemon: "over to the museum!"

ADVANCE

Sashi: "I realize that Gyo Shin's body wasn't originally at the museum, it must have been moved there from somewhere else, but where could she possibly have been?"

. Yemon: "Think about the locations that are important to this case."

. Yemon: "Maybe ^she was moved from Akina's lab^?"

. Yemon: "Or maybe ^she was moved from Yemon's lab^?"

. Yemon: "It's also possible that she was moved from a place..."

. Yemon: "that she's most likely to have been in."

. Yemon: "In that case, maybe ^she was taken from her room^?"

. Yemon: "Or was ^she moved from her own lab^?"

. Yemon: "Any of these locations have to be the correct one."

Yemon is saying that Gyo Shin wasn't drugged at the museum, but somewhere else entirely. That's where her unconscious body was moved. But in that case, where was she drugged?

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yemon and Sashi: "WE FORMED OUR LOGIC TOGETHER!!!"

COMPLETE

Sashi: "That's it! Gyo Shin's body must have moved from Yemon's lab!"

Emnei: "But that's way above the museum? Why would her body be moved from all the way up there? And why would Gyo Shin be there in the first place?"

Renjiro: "Wouldn't it be difficult to move a body all the way over to the museum? It's a pretty long distance. Not to mention, it's hard to move it down a flight of stairs."

Sashi: "Not if you use gravity to your advantage. Right below the window of Yemon's lab, there was a mattress. I obviously thought it was pretty odd for something like that to be in such a strange place. But if we know what the mattress was used for, it suddenly makes sense why it was below the window of Yemon's lab."

Chimon: "Oh, I get it! Gyo Shin was drugged in his lab, and then her body was dropped onto the mattress through the window!"

Nori: "So that's why there was a mattress there. It was used to drop the body down to the ground safely without any severe injuries."

Tetsu: "Hold on, that still doesn't make sense. If a body was dropped from such a great height, even if it was cushioned, the impact would cause Gyo Shin to wake up. In that case, what's the point of drugging her in the first place?"

Yemon: "That's not a problem. After Gyo Shin's corpse was dropped, the killer could have just drugged her again."

Emnei: "Even if the body was still injured by the fall, it was still cushioned enough to where they aren't noticeable. Besides, the corpse was burned to a crisp, so we wouldn't notice any injuries even if we tried."

Chimon: "But aren't injuries supposed to be listed in the Monokuma File?"

Monokuma: "Not necessarily. Sometimes, I don't listen injuries when they either aren't relevant to the case, or they could be used to figure out the murder. If I listed that Gyo Shin suffered from bruises by the fall, then it would have been obvious that her body was transported from Yemon's lab. Thus, I decided to conceal that information!"

Sashi: "So are you saying Gyo Shin's body was dropped?"

Monokuma: "Whoops! I guess I let that slip, huh!? Dammit! I really need to learn to keep my mouth shut!"

Monopup: "You should really learn to be more careful, boss."

Renjiro: "Hold on. But why was Gyo Shin at Yemon's lab in the first place?"

Emnei: "Wait, does this mean what I think it means!?"

Unfortunately, yes. If Gyo Shin was at Yemon's lab previously, then the one who tried to kill Akina is....

SELECT SOMEONE

CORRECT ANSWER: GYO SHIN MORIKAWA

Sashi: "It has to be you."

DECIDE

Sashi: "There's only one reason why Gyo Shin was at Yemon's lab. It's because she was the one who tried to kill Akina!"

Renjiro: "Wait. WHAAAAAATTTT!?!"

Tetsu: "I refuse to believe she would do something like that!"

Nori: "Why!? Why would she try to kill Akina!? It doesn't make any sense! She's supposed to be the victim!"

Sashi: "Yes, she is the victim. However, she tried to commit a murder of her own. But because it failed, she ended up as the victim herself. It's awful, but it's the truth."

Yemon: "In that case, the reason she wrote down my name and lured Akina to my lab out of all places, was because Gyo Shin was planning on framing me for the murder! Damn, that dirty bitch! She was planning on having us all executed so she could escape alone! I hope she burns in hell!"

Nori: "Yemon, you need to calm down! I'm sure she had an understandable reason for what she did!"

Yemon: "I doubt a psycho like her has any understandable reasons for trying to commit murder."

Emnei: "But I still don't get it! When we tried to prevent Gyo Shin from committing suicide, I thought we manage to convince her to try to survive!"

Chimon: "Maybe this is the only way Gyo Shin thought she could survive this killing game. By escaping the killing school trip alone."

Tetsu: "But she specifically chose not to kill herself in order to both satisfy Chiyo's wishes and to try to be friends with the rest of us! Doing what she did is a huge contradiction to either of these things!"

Sashi: "I don't get it either. But we shouldn't waste time thinking about why Gyo Shin tried to kill Akina and escape alone. Besides, we shouldn't blame her for what she did. We should blame the killing game, and Monokuma!"

Monokuma: "Me!?"

Emnei: "Don't act like you aren't responsible."

Monokuma: "Jesus, what a way to blame others for the actions of someone else! It's Gyo Shin's responsibility for what she did, not mine!"

Renjiro: "In any case, I have a question. If Gyo Shin tried to attack Akina, only to end up being drugged and killed, who was the person responsible?"

Yemon: "Was it Akina? She should have been the only other person at the scene."

Sashi: "But that doesn't make any sense if Akina was the only who drugged Gyo Shin. That's because the person who injected her with the anesthetic has to be the culprit, as they needed her to be unconscious to move her body to the museum, where she was then tied up. But Akina can't be the one who killed Gyo Shin, as she was the first victim."

Doryo: "Then who did the fuck did it!?"

Who's the person who drugged Gyo Shin? If I think about enough, I'm sure that I will be able to connect the dots.

PSYCHE TAXI START

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Question 1: How many people visited Yemon's lab?

A) 2

B) 3

C) 4

CORRECT ANSWER: B

Question 2: Who drugged Gyo Shin?

A) Akina

B) Gyo Shin herself

C) The killer

CORRECT ANSWER: C

Question 3: Who arrived first at the scene?

A) The killer

B) Gyo Shin

C) Akina

CORRECT ANSWER: A

Question 4: When was Gyo Shin drugged?

A) As soon as she arrived.

B) After Akina arrived.

C) After Akina left the lab

CORRECT ANSWER: C

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sashi: "It connects!"

BREAK

Sashi: "If it wasn't Akina who drugged Gyo Shin, then there must have been another person at the scene! That person is the one who drugged her, which can only be the killer!"

Chimon: "If there were three people at the scene, the order that all the events occurred suddenly becomes clear. The first to arrive must have been the true killer, as they must have hidden themselves. They easily could have hidden in the race car at the scene. Then Gyo Shin comes next, where she waits for Akina to arrive. Once Akina sees Gyo Shin with the wrench, she instantly realizes that she's going to be killed, so she runs out of the lab."

Renjiro: "Which I then witnessed."

Chimon: "Finally, while Gyo Shin tries to run after Akina and open up the door, she is suddenly cornered by the killer, who then drugs her. Finally, the killer dumps Gyo Shin out the window and onto the mattress below."

Renjiro: "Hold on, if that's the case, then the killer can't be Tetsu! Because she had an alibi during this time period! In that case, both victims were killed by two different people."

Yemon: "Yeah, I figured that was the case. It doesn't make sense for the killer to murder two people."

Tetsu: "That's what I've been saying."

Emnei: "Hold on. There's still a piece missing with Chimon's story. I guess that explains how Gyo Shin was drugged, but it still doesn't explain the bloodstain and bloody wrench found at the scene?"

Chimon: "Eh, that's true."

Sashi: "Actually, no. If there were three people at the scene, then there's a perfect explanation for what happened. The bloodstain and bloody wrench prove that someone was attacked at the scene."

Nori: "Then who was attacked?"

Who was attacked? And why? If I consider the fact that three people were at the scene, there's only one possibility.

HANGMAN'S GAMBIT START

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Question: Who was hit with the wrench?

AVILABLE ANSWERS: T A K R I E C H T M V

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CORRECT ANSWER: HIT ATTACKER

Sashi: "I see now!"

COMPLETE

Sashi: "Gyo Shin must have hit the culprit with the wrench right before she was drugged! When she saw their presence, Gyo Shin quickly tried to defend herself and ended up hitting the culprit. I imagine they were probably hit somewhere like the knee. A place that causes bleeding but can't be fatal. That is what caused the bloodstain in Yemon's lab, as well as the wrench to become bloody."

Chimon: "That makes sense to me."

Emnei: "In that case, everything surrounded what happened in Yemon's lab is now solved. Now we just need to figure out Gyo Shin's murder."

Tetsu: "We don't need to do that."

Nori: "Tetsu, what are you doing? I thought you would let us figure out the truth of both murders."

Tetsu: "I did say that, but I didn't realize figuring out the other culprit would be so easy."

Yemon: "Are you saying you already know who killed Gyo Shin?"

Tetsu: "Think about it. According to what you guys are saying, the person who drugged Gyo Shin and killed her are one and the same. And just like Renjiro said, I can't possibly be the one who drugged her because I had an alibi at the time. In that case, there's only one other suspect. Doryo."

Renjiro: "That is true."

Doryo: "The fuck are you talking about!? I didn't kill anybody!"

Tetsu: "But there are literally no other suspects. It is simple process of elimination. The best process when it comes to finding out suspects. And don't bother saying Akina is the culprit, because we already finished saying how that's not possible either. After all, the fire did not appear until after she had already died. My own eyes can prove that without a doubt."

Doryo: "Why!? Why is this happening!? Even after I promise to cooperate, you all decided to betray and accuse me! Fuck all of you!"

Chimon: "Cursing at us isn't going to make yourself look any more innocent."

Tetsu: "In any case, I'm pretty sure the answer is obvious at this point. Since we have no other suspects, we have no choice but to vote for real this time. I told you guys. No matter how much we thought about it, the answer is inevitable."

CLASS TRIAL ALLRISE!

TRIAL PHASES:

1\. NON-STOP DEBATE

2\. NON-STOP DEBATE

3\. HANGMAN'S GAMBIT

4\. NON-STOP DEBATE

5\. NON-STOP DEBATE

6\. NON-STOP DEBATE

7\. NON-STOP DEBATE

8\. LOGIC TEAM

9\. PSYCHE TAXI

10\. HANGMAN'S GAMBIT

CLASS TRIAL END

Monokuma: "Are you guys now ready to vote!?"

Emnei: "I guess so."

Doryo: "No! It is not time to vote!"

Tetsu: "We should ignore the words of the culprit. Unless someone has an objection, there's nothing left to do. Let's just vote and get my execution over with. I'm tired of waiting."

Is this it? Is this really the answer we've come to? Once again, the answer seems too simple. Doryo is the one who killed Gyo Shin? But as Tetsu said, there is no other suspects. So, I guess I have to roll with it.

Renjiro: "I guess we should vote now."

Monokuma: "Whelp, it seems like everyone is now ready to vote, so let's not keep things in suspense. Once again, it's time to vote for who you think the blackened is! The heart-racing excitement as the blackened and the spotless face off! It's... VOTING-!"

Nori: "NO!!! WE CAN'T END LIKE THIS!!!"

Monokuma: "Fuck! Why do you always have to interrupt it!? I thought we figured out the answer for sure this time!"

Huh? Nori? You again? Why can't things end like this? I didn't expect you of all people to butt in. Like, I have a bad feeling about this as well, but I didn't think Nori would feel the same way."

Tetsu: "Nori! What the hell are you doing!?"

Nori: "There's got to be another explanation to this! We must be assuming things again!"

Emnei: "But how could the answer be anything different? There's literally only one suspect."

Nori: "It just doesn't seem right! There's still some evidence we haven't figured out yet! Until we realize the whole picture, we can't end things just yet!"

Tetsu: "Alright then. If you really want the trial to continue that badly, then present proof that my claim is incorrect."

Chimon: "Hold on. Doesn't your whole theory rest on the fact that Akina died first?"

Tetsu: "Yes because I know for a fact that what's happened. Did you already forget what I personally witnessed?"

Chimon: "But is there any evidence to back up this theory? Or is it all based on what you claimed to have seen?"

Tetsu: "Of course there's evidence. In fact, all the evidence points towards Akina being the one who died first."

Chimon: "Is any of it conclusive?"

Tetsu: "......"

Yemon: "Chimon, are you claiming what I think you're claiming?"

Chimon: "The fact that Tetsu is lying, yes."

Tetsu: "What are you talking about!? Why would I lie!?"

Chimon: "I don't know why you would lie, but the matter of fact is that you did. And I'm not the only one who thinks this way. Sashi, don't you agree with me?"

Huh? Actually, now that I'm thinking about it...

Sashi: "I think there's an actually a strong possibility that Tetsu is lying about not witnessing the fire."

Tetsu: "Sashi, I thought you were my friend!? Why are you suddenly against me!?"

Renjiro: "Tetsu has already admitted her crime! Why would she continue to lie!?"

Sashi: "All I know is that if Akina indeed died before Gyo Shin, then there's something that doesn't make any sense."

Question: What's wrong with the claim that Akina died first?

A) There's a huge time gap

B) Akina is the culprit

C) There's no evidence

CORRECT ANSWER: A

Sashi: "That must be it."

Sashi: "As we all concluded earlier, the one who drugged Gyo Shin and dropped her body down was the true killer, correct? This was all a part of their plan to move her body over to the museum, tie it to a chair, and then set it on fire. Now, I just have one question. Approximately what time was Gyo Shin rendered unconscious?"

Renjiro: "I saw Akina leave her lab at 1:25 PM, and we conclude that Gyo Shin was drugged right after she left. So, I guess probably a minute or two after."

Sashi: "And what time did Akina die?"

Emnei: "That would be around when she screamed, so 3:45 PM."

Chimon: "Wait, if Gyo Shin died after that, then there's a time gap over two hours between when she was drugged and when she was killed. Why did it take so long?"

Sashi: "Exactly. It's not like the murder plan took that long to put into action, so why did the killer wait so long to kill Gyo Shin?"

Yemon: "Not to mention, if the killer is Doryo like you said, then he could have killed at any time, as he's the only one who never had an alibi. Considering all of this, it doesn't make sense why this huge time gap exists."

Emnei: "Tetsu, did you really lie about not seeing the fire?"

Tetsu: "Of course not. I'm telling you, there was no fire. Why don't you people believe me?"

Sashi: "Oh, really? Then show us the proof that you're telling the truth. Evidence that isn't circumstantial. Sheer, conclusive evidence."

Tetsu: "I'm not the one who has to present evidence, you should. You're all accusing me of being dishonest. In that case, show conclusive proof that Akina died last. Your reasoning for believing I'm lying is just because the culprit took a long time to kill Gyo Shin? That's not evidence! I don't know why Doryo took so long to kill her, but he's still the only suspect."

NON-STOP DEBATE START

1) RAMP

2) LIGHTER

3) BURNT GRASS

4) DORYO'S ACCOUNT

5) GASOLINE CONTAINER

6) BURNT BODY

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

. Chimon: "There's* no way to explain the time gap*..."

. Chimon: "so Tetsu must be lying."

. Tetsu: "^I'm telling the truth^, I swear!"

. Tetsu: "*I never saw any fire*!"

. Tetsu: "That means that ^Akina died first^!"

. Renjiro: "In that case, the culprit can only be Doryo."

. Doryo: "*I'm not the fucking culprit*!"

. Emnei: "If Tetsu is lying, wouldn't that mean..."

. Emnei: "that Akina really did die last?"

. Tetsu: "That is utterly impossible."

. Tetsu: "Regardless of the fact that I have..."

. Tetsu: "*no reason to lie what-so-ever*..."

. Tetsu: "all the evidence points to Akina being the first victim."

. Emnei: "If Gyo Shin died first, wouldn't that mean..."

. Emnei: "that the fire was going on for a long time?"

. Emnei: "Is there ^any evidence to suggest such a thing^?"

Chimon is claiming that Tetsu is lying about witnessing the fire, but is that really true? If it is, it means that Akian really did die last, right?

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sashi: "I agree!"

BREAK

Sashi: "That's right, Emnei. The fire did go on for a long time, and I have proof."

Chimon: "You're talking about the burnt body, correct?"

Sashi: "Yeah. Gyo Shin's body was heavily burnt, way more than is needed to kill her. If the fire only happened just recently, then why is her body so heavily charcoaled? According to what Chimon said, based on how burnt the body is, the fire must have been going on for a long time."

Chimon: "Yeah. If we take this evidence at face value, then the fire must have started way earlier, even before Akina's death. In that case, Tetsu must be lying!"

Nori: "Is this really true? Did you really lie about the whole thing?"

Tetsu: "......"

Sashi: "Please, Tetsu. We want to believe in you, so just tell us the honest truth~!"

Tetsu: "YOUR DEDUCTIONS ARE 100% WRONG!!!"

Tetsu: "I never lied about anything! Why don't you believe me!?"

Sashi: "I want to believe in you, it's just that your arguments aren't convincing me!"

Tetsu: "Fine then! I'll argue against you until you have no choice but to accept my answer as correct!"

REBUTTAL SHOWDOWN START

TRUTH BULLETS:

1) GASOLINE CONTAINER

2) FIRE SPRINKLERS

3) MONOKUMA FILE 4

4) TETSU'S ACCOUNT

5) BURNT GRASS

6) BURNT BODY

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

. Tetsu: "Your argument that Akina died last..."

. Tetsu: "is based on the fact that Gyo Shin's corpse was highly burnt."

. Tetsu: "However, that does not necessarily prove that..."

. Tetsu: "the fire had been going on for a long time."

. Tetsu: "According to Emnei, one of the gasoline containers..."

. Tetsu: "in the warehouse was half-empty."

. Tetsu: "In that case, they could have smothered the body..."

. Tetsu: "*in gasoline* in order to make it burn faster."

ADVANCE

Sashi: "True, the gasoline could have been used to make the body burn faster, but there's no evidence to suggest such a thing had happened. Besides, why would the killer do that in the first place? If it's to suggest that Akina died last like I thought, why does all the other evidence point towards her dying first?

. Tetsu: "Isn't it possible they *just wanted Gyo Shin to die as fast as possible*?"

. Tetsu: "Regardless of the killer's motive, you can't deny the possibility."

. Tetsu: "Besides, I do have my reasons for believing this train of thought."

. Tetsu: "First of all, while the body is highly burnt..."

. Tetsu: "only a small patch of grass was burnt."

. Tetsu: "This suggests that the *grass hasn't been burning for very long*."

. Tetsu: "And there's also the fire sprinklers to consider."

. Tetsu: "The reason the fire sprinklers took so long to turn on..."

. Tetsu: "is because *the fire had spread too quickly*..."

. Tetsu: "so it couldn't respond right away."

Tetsu is still insisting that she's telling the truth, but I know for a fact that she's lying. In that case, I just need to show that her logic is wrong.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sashi: "I'LL CUT THROUGH YOUR WORDS!!!"

BREAK

Sashi: "Actually, the reason the fire sprinklers took so long to function isn't because the fire had spread really quickly, it's because they weren't set to respond automatically!"

Tetsu: "What are you talking about?"

Emnei: "Oh, yeah! The fire sprinklers can be turned off, preventing them from automatically dousing any fires!"

Yemon: "Then why the hell did the fire sprinklers turn on in the first place?"

Sashi: "The fire sprinklers can be set to turn on at certain times. Specifically, I noticed that the time the sprinklers were set to turn on was at exactly 4:50 PM! That's the exact time we saw them turn on!"

Nori: "But why would the killer do that in the first place?"

Chimon: "Probably to make us think the same thing that Tetsu was thinking. If we didn't know how the fire sprinklers work, we would naturally assume it's supposed to turn on almost immediately. So, when we noticed that the fire had spread really fast by the time they managed to turn on, we would assume that's because the burning rate had been accelerated by some kind of accelerant. Although their plan was easily figured out once we looked at the fire sprinklers."

Emnei: "I imagine that the killer was planning on resetting the time sent for the fire sprinklers to turn on once we discovered the body, but either forgot about it or never had a good opportunity to."

Sashi: "So, your argument regarding the fire sprinklers has been unfortunately disproven, Tetsu."

Tetsu: "Okay, while I do accept your argument regrading the fire sprinklers, what about the grass around the museum? If the fire had started way earlier, why didn't it spread very much?"

Doryo: "Oh, I've got an idea! You know how accelerants or whatever the fuck you call them are used to increase the speed at which a fire spreads? Then in that case, the killer must have used a de-accelerant! You know, something to slow down the burning rate!"

Yemon: "Somehow, when you try to sound smart, you just end up sounding even dumber."

Doryo: "At least I'm trying!"

Renjiro: "Tetsu has a point though. How do you explain the contradiction between the burnt grass and body?"

Why is that the case? The grass suggests that the fire hadn't been going on for very long, while the body suggests the contrary. Maybe if I try to think about it in my head, I can figure out this contradiction.

PSYCHE TAXI START

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Question 1: Why do the rates at which the grass and body burned seem different?

A) The body was burnt faster

B) The grass was burnt slower

C) They were set on fire at different times

CORRECT ANSWER: C

Question 2: In that case, how many fires occurred?

A) 1

B) 2

C) 3

CORRECT ANSWER: B

Question 3: When was the body set on fire?

A) At the same time as Akina's death

B) Before Akina died

C) After Akina died

CORRECT ANSWER: B

Question 4: When was the grass set on fire?

A) After Akina's body was discovered

B) Before Nori's movie was finished

C) Right before Akina's body was discovered

CORRECT ANSWER: A

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sashi: "It connects!"

BREAK

Sashi: "I think I figured out the solution to this conundrum! There were actually two fires! One that set the body on fire, and another that set the grass on fire!"

Yemon: "Two!?"

Emnei: "When did each fire occur then?"

Sashi: "Gyo Shin's body must have been set on fire sometime before Akina died, as that's where my logic so far has led. But if the fire had only touched a small patch of grass, then that must have happened much earlier. In that case, the only time for someone to do that is after we discovered Akina's body, as none of us saw or smelled the fire until Doryo pointed it out."

Chimon: "In that case, Tetsu's idea that Akina died first has been completely disproven."

Tetsu: "Hold on. You've shown a lot of evidence, but nothing is conclusive. It's all just a bunch of theories."

Renjiro: "I guess I kind of see where you guys are coming from, but I still refuse to believe Tetsu would lie like that!"

Yemon: "Yeah. Tetsu would have no reason to lie! Besides, the evidence still shifts towards the fact that Akina died first."

Nori: "I disagree with the notion that Akina was the first victim because then that would mean Doryo is the only suspect, which I already found weird to begin with."

Monokuma: "LOOKS LIKE IT'S TIME FOR A DEBATE!!!"

Monokuma: "Once again, you guys seem to be firmly split down the middle! In that case, we need for both teams to argue in order to find out which side is correct on this matter! Without any further ado, let's get things started!"

Question: Who died first?

Akina died first: Tetsu, Renjiro, Yemon, Doryo

Gyo Shin died first: Sashi, Emnei, Chimon, Nori

Key Words:

Sashi: Suspect

Emnei: Lie

Chimon: Fires

Chimon: Sprinklers

Sashi: Witnessed

Nori: Fire

Emnei: Killer

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DEBATE SCRUM START

Tetsu: "I witnessed it myself! There was a fire inside the museum before I even killed Akina!"

Sashi: "But there's no conclusive evidence that backs up your word, so you must be lying."

Renjiro: "Tetsu would have no reason to lie!"

Sashi: "Emnei!"

Emnei: "Maybe Tetsu knows who the culprit is and is lying in order to protect them."

Yemon: "Is there really any evidence that the fire sprinklers weren't used automatically?"

Sashi: "Chimon!"

Chimon: "Yes there is, dumbass. The fire sprinklers said 4:50 PM, meaning they were set to go off at that time."

Renjiro: "The burnt grass proves that the fire didn't last for very long!"

Sashi: "Nori!"

Nori: "As Sashi said, there's a high possibility that two fires actually happened."

Doryo: "Why the fuck would the killer create two fires!? That just makes things more complicated!"

Sashi: "Chimon!"

Chimon: "It may be more complicated, but the killer had a very good reason to make things more complex. They were trying to hide the fact that Gyo Shin was the first victim."

Yemon: "Maybe the killer wasn't planning on killing Gyo Shin at first, but just restrain them. That could explain why there's such a large time gap."

Sashi: "Emnei!"

Emnei: "No, this crime is far too complex for that to be the case. This murder had to have been premeditated."

Tetsu: "Even if Akina was murdered last, Doryo is still the only suspect!"

Sashi: "Wrong. If Akina wasn't dead at the time of Gyo Shin's murder, she could possibly be the killer."

Akina definitely died last, so Tetsu must be lying. I have to convince everyone that my reasoning is correct!

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FULL COUNTER

Sashi, Emnei, Chimon, and Nori: "THIS IS OUR ANSWER!!!"

BREAK

Sashi: "Do you guys realize it now? There's no way Akina was the first victim. In fact, the culprit's entire plan was to make us mix up the death order!"

Yemon: "Yeah, I see that's the only possibility at this point."

Renjiro: "I still don't get why Tetsu lied. Are you really trying to protect someone, Tetsu?"

Tetsu: "......"

Emnei: "Tetsu, just what on earth is going on with you this class trial? You aren't acting like your usual self at all."

Tetsu: "......."

Doryo: "Whelp, looks like the bitch has gone silent again."

Yemon: "Yeah, and she will keep being like that if you continue to insult her! Fucking asshole!"

Chimon: "Tetsu, can you at least tell us you will at least give up on your insistence that Akina died first? Everyone believes otherwise now, so you can't convince them anymore."

Tetsu: "...... Fine. Akina wasn't the first victim, after all. I was wrong with my theory."

Nori: "But why would you lie? What's your reason, because I don't think you're the kind of person to put everyone else's lives on stake just to save one person."

Tetsu: "It's because I felt really bad for killing Akina, so I wanted to be executed for my crimes. I believed that Akina died first not only because of all the evidence that suggests it, but because I personally wanted to think it. Since I wanted to end the class trial as fast as possible and be executed already, I lied about not seeing the fire to make you guys vote early. So, I was a bit too rash about my theory and nearly put everyone's lives at stake because of it. I'm sorry."

Emnei: "Wait, so did you see the fire or not?"

Tetsu: "I definitely didn't see a fire outside the museum, but I wasn't paying enough attention to realize whether there was actually one inside the building. I was just about to commit a murder after all."

Renjiro: "Still, why would you rush the vote? Even if you personally believed that your theory was correct, there's no reason to push things this far."

Tetsu: "Yes, and I realize that now. I'm really sorry for what I did. I wasn't trying to get you all executed, if that's what you're thinking."

Yemon: "Oh, really? Why should we believe you now? You literally lied a total of two times. First about the fact that you didn't kill Akina, and now about seeing the fire."

Tetsu: "I'm not lying this time, you got to believe me."

Renjiro: "Don't worry, I believe you now, Tetsu."

Emnei: "I do too. We have become such close friends. I refuse to believe that you would betray me like this."

Seriously, what is going on with Tetsu? Like it's good that she at least apologized for her actions, but I don't see how a girl like her would do that in the first place. It's like she has become a completely different person.

Chimon: "Okay, now that we've figured out the order for which both victims died, what do we do now?"

Sashi: "Well, one thing is for certain. If Akina died last, then there's two possible suspects at the moment. It could be Doryo like Tetsu originally theorized, or it could be Akina."

Nori: "Akina? I highly doubt someone like her would commit murder."

Sashi: "Yeah. I don't want to believe it either. But it's also highly unlikely Doryo is the culprit. This crime is far too complex for an idiot like him, and there's absolutely no evidence to suggest he's involved. Not to mention, he personally promised to never try to kill anybody ever again."

Renjiro: "So is it really Akina?"

Yemon: "But there's also no evidence to suggest she's responsible as well."

Doryo: "Have we reach another fucking dead end!?"

Emnei: "I don't know! Is there anything we possibly missed!? I don't want to die here!"

Sashi: "Akina is the culprit? It feels so wrong, but I can't think of anyone else. Unless someone has any other ideas~!"

Nori: "DON'T GIVE UP NOW SASHI!!!"

Nori: "The answer is there. I think I might have an idea of what it might be. How about we figure it out together, because we can't afford to lose this class trial."

Nori!? She is honestly the last person besides Doryo that I would expect to be able to help me. I guess she really has gotten used to the class trials."

Nori: "Come on. Let's try to figure it out."

LOGIC TEAM START

TRUTH BULLETS:

1) BURNT GRASS

2) BURNT BODY

3) GASOLINE CONTAINER

4) NORI'S ACCOUNT

5) TETSU'S ACCOUNT

6) BURNT CONCRETE

7) LIGHTER

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

. Nori: "Based on our reasoning thus far..."

. Nori: "there's only two possible suspects."

. Nori: "^Is the culprit Doryo^..."

. Nori: "or is ^Akina the responsible party^?"

. Nori: "But if neither of those suspects..."

. Nori: "sound like the correct answer..."

. Nori: "maybe it's someone else entirely."

ADVANCE

Sashi: "What do you mean, 'someone else entirely'? How could the killer be anyone else? Everyone else has alibis."

. Nori: "Yes, they have alibis, but only in theory."

. Nori: "Maybe one of their alibis is false?"

. Nori: "If it can't be anyone at the library..."

. Nori: "maybe it's someone that watched my movie?"

. Nori: "^Did one of them secretly escape^?"

. Nori: "Or maybe they ^used the window in my lab^?"

. Nori: "If you think out of the box..."

. Nori: "the answer is sure to reveal itself."

Nori thinks that the culprit is someone other than Doryo or Akina, but is that really true? If so, why does she believe that?"

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nori and Sashi: "WE FORMED OUR LOGIC TOGETHER!!!"

COMPLETE

Sashi: "Ah!"

Chimon: "Did you figure something out, Sashi?"

Sashi: "I've been thinking about this whole thing all wrong! The killer isn't someone without an alibi, but rather someone with an alibi!"

Yemon: "Are you stupid, Sashi? If they have an alibi, they can't kill anybody."

Sashi: "Not necessarily. Isn't it possible that they killed someone remotely?"

Doryo: "Remotely? What the fuck are you talking about?"

Yemon: "Whelp, looks like another idiot has emerged. Time to bring out the duct tape."

Emnei: "Hey, don't say about that Sashi! Also, she doesn't deserve to have her mouth taped shut!"

Yemon: "...I was joking."

Chimon: "I see what you're talking about though, Sashi. The same thing happened with Fudoki's case. Naeko managed to kill him while still technically having an alibi."

Renjiro: "Is this another death trap situation?"

Sashi: "Well, kind of. While I was investigating, I noticed something interesting. Right below Nori's lab window, the concrete was burnt for some reason. Now this is strange for several reasons. First of all, it's far away from the museum and the grass nearby. Secondly, concrete isn't even flammable, so how could it be burnt. However, a fire managed to start here anyways. The reason for that is related to the next piece of evidence I found during my investigation."

Question: What caused the fire to start near the concrete?

SELECT TRUTH BULLET

CORRECT ANSWER: GASOLINE CONTAINER

Sashi: "That's it."

Sashi: "I get it now. That's why the gasoline was used! It wasn't to accelerate the rate at which the fire burned like we thought, but rather to cause a fire to be started in the first place."

Chimon: "Oh, I think I see how that relates to why the concrete was burnt. A trail of gasoline was left on the concrete, which caused a fire when lit by a lighter, even though the material was fire-proof."

Nori: "This trail of gasoline then leads to Gyo Shin's body, allowing her body to be burnt even when not at the museum."

Sashi: "This also relates to why it was below the window to Nori's lab. The killer was planning on drop the lighter from the window onto the concrete below, creating a fire chain reaction. If they did this while Nori's movie was playing, then they would have an alibi while also managing to commit murder."

Yemon: "There are curtains that cover the windows in Nori's lab. The killer could easily have opened the window behind the curtains and dropped the lighter without anybody seeing it. Even if someone saw them open the window, they could easily make an excuse that they are just opening the window to let some air in."

Emnei: "So are you saying the killer is one of the people who watched Nori's movie?"

Sashi: "Yeah. Wait....... AHH!!!"

Renjiro: "Why did you make that reaction Sashi!? It makes me super worried!"

Sashi: "The killer isn't just anyone who was at Nori's lab! It could have only been a specific person!"

Doryo: "Wait, do you know who the killer is!?"

If the killer dropped a lighter from Nori's lab window while her film was being played, it can really only be one person.

SELECT SOMEONE

CORRECT ANSWER: NORI OWARI

Sashi: "......"

DECIDE

Sashi: "......It's......It's......Nori?.......Why?"

Before I knew it, tears started streaming out of my eyes. Why did this have to be the answer? Like I felt uneasy during the entire class trial about either Tetsu, Akina, or Doryo being the killer, but this does not help! This is not the answer I wanted!"

Nori: "........"

Renjiro: "Sashi. This is no time for jokes. This is a serious matter."

Yemon: "Nori? How could she possibly be the culprit?"

Emnei: "Sashi, I get you really want to find the culprit, but obvious false accusations aren't going to get you anywhere."

Instantly, no one believed me. No one believed someone so sweet, inspiring, and caring as Nori could possibly commit murder. I didn't want to believe it either. But it really couldn't be anyone else.

Sashi: "Everyone, I know it's hard to believe, but please listen to what I have to say. First of all, Nori is the one who suggested we all watch her film in the first place, so that automatically makes her suspicious."

Nori: "......"

Tetsu: "Hey! Nori talked about the film yesterday, so anybody who decided to watch the movie could have dropped the lighter, not just her! Why!? Why are you accusing her!? Nori has been so kind to me. If it wasn't for her, I might not have ever came out of my shell and been able to talk to you all like this. And now you're accusing her of killing my friend! What is wrong with you!?"

Sashi: "Tetsu, calm down! At least listen to what I have to say!"

Tetsu: "Whatever you say, it's not going to convince me."

Sashi: "The thing is, Nori was the only one who wasn't sitting down while watching the film. In fact, she was kind of walking around a lot. So, it's possible she could have walked towards the window, and we would have never noticed because all our attention was focused on her film. Besides, if the killer was anybody else, wouldn't Nori have noticed them leave their seat?"

Nori: "......"

Renjiro: "I don't care how ridiculous it sounds; the culprit must have been one of the guests! It can't be Nori! That's just impossible!"

Sashi: "But, that's not the only thing. Nori, you have been acting rather strangely ever since the trial began. No offense, but before this trial, you have kind of been behind most of the other students when it comes to logic and deduction skills. Very rarely could you figure out what had happened without help. But in this trial, it's like you suddenly knew everything that has happened right off the bat. Like how could someone like Nori figure out the trick behind the burnt concrete that even smart people like Chimon and Emnei couldn't figure out? Also, the fact that the two times we tried to vote, you stopped us. Why would you do that out of all people? I would expect you to just go along with what everyone else thought. When you put all of this suspicious behavior together, it makes it look like you're trying to get caught as the blackened who killed Gyo Shin."

Yemon: "It's probably just because Nori has gotten used to the class trials and has become smarter as a result! Isn't that right, Nori?

Nori: "....... Wow, Sashi. It looks like you figured it all out. Yep, I'm the culprit. I killed Gyo Shin."

Tetsu: "WHAAAATTTTT!?!"

Emnei: "She's lying! She's got to be lying!"

Renjiro: "If Tetsu lied, why wouldn't Nori!?"

Chimon: "Look I know I may be cynical and tends to look at facts rather than blindly believe in people, but even I know someone like Nori wouldn't kill someone. The evidence seems really circumstantial right now, so I'm not convinced."

Sashi: "Nori, aren't you going to do something about this!? Nobody believes you!"

Nori: "You already figured out the answer, Sashi. I killed Gyo Shin and was deliberately trying to get you guys to figure out that I was the one responsible. But it looks like you aren't completely done yet. The others aren't convinced that I'm the responsible party yet. So, you need to present the conclusive evidence that I did the crime. That way, everyone can be convinced."

Sashi: "Why me!? Why do I have to be the one to do this!?"

Nori: "Because you're the only one who believes I'm responsible. Well, Doryo might believe it, but he's too dumb to present the evidence."

Doryo: "I really don't give a fuck about any of this."

Nori: "Yep."

Sashi: "But, I don't want to do this! I thought if I just accused you, everyone would be on board, and then we would vote, and this fucking class trial will be over! But now people are defending you! In fact, I'm the only one who thinks differently! It makes me feel like I'm making a mistake here!"

Emnei: "Sashi, please! Nori is lying! You can't believe her! There is no conclusive evidence, she's completely innocent!"

Nori: "Sashi, can you please do this? We can't vote just yet while everyone believes I'm lying. Besides, you know I'm doing this for your sake, right? If I showed all the conclusive evidence, nobody would learn anything. Everyone needs to learn to fight for the truth, no matter how painful it is. So, Sashi, please. Please accuse me with all your might."

I don't want to do this! I don't want to fucking do this! But if Nori really wants me to, then I guess I have no choice but to obey."

Sashi: "I'm sorry everyone, but Nori is telling the truth. She's the one who killed Gyo Shin. And just so you know, there is evidence to support it."

Yemon: "What the hell are you talking about!? There is no evidence!"

Sashi: "Everyone, please! Just calm down and listen to what I have to say~!"

Renjiro: "STOP WITH YOUR BASELESS ACCUSATIONS!!!"

Renjiro: "You say Nori is the culprit!? That's complete bullshit!"

Sashi: "Why? Is there something wrong with my theory?"

Renjiro: "Yes there is! If you can't realize it yourself, then I guess I will have to show you why your accusation is a bunch of fucking nonsense!"

REBUTTAL SHOWDOWN START

TRUTH BLADES:

1) BURNT BODY

2) BURNT GRASS

3) BURNT CONCRETE

4) RAMP

5) LIGHTER

6) GASOLINE CONTAINER

7) NORI'S ACCOUNT

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

. Renjiro: "Your theory that Nori is the culprit..."

. Renjiro: "completely contradicts what you said earlier..."

. Renjiro: "about there *being two fires*!"

. Renjiro: "According to you, the first fire..."

. Renjiro: "*was used to kill Gyo Shin*, and..."

. Renjiro: "the second fire was used to burn..."

. Renjiro: "*the grass outside the museum*!"

. Renjiro: "In that case, Nori can't possibly be the killer!"

ADVANCE

Sashi: "Yes, Nori is the culprit. Yes, I also said they were two fires. What possible contradiction between those claims is there?"

. Renjiro: "You said that Nori dropped the lighter..."

. Renjiro: "onto the concrete below, which then..."

. Renjiro: "lit a trail of gasoline that headed towards..."

. Renjiro: "Gyo Shin's body?"

. Renjiro: "That's utterly impossible, because in that case..."

. Renjiro: "the fire would have *gotten straight through the grass*!"

. Renjiro: "In that case, the body and grass would have..."

. Renjiro: "to *both be burned in the same fire*!"

. Renjiro: "That contradicts what you said earlier!"

Renjiro has a point, but that doesn't mean I can't refute it. I'll find a way to prove my claim correct!

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sashi: "I'LL CUT THROUGH YOUR WORDS!!!"

BREAK

Sashi: "Yes, normally the trail of gasoline would have gotten through the grass patch, therefore causing it to burn up. However, in this case, the killer had a way to circumvent that."

Renjiro: "What the hell are you talking about!?"

Chimon: "Are you referring to the ramp?"

Sashi: "Yes. You see, right next to the museum, we found a ramp that came from Doryo's lab."

Doryo: "Huh? Why the fuck would that be there? I sure didn't place it there."

Sashi: "The killer must have gotten into your lab without your permission and used it in their murder plan."

Doryo: "Hold on now! I don't give a fuck if you are trying to kill people, but if you barge into my lab, that's a line that you don't want to cross with me!"

Yemon: "It's amazing how screwed your priorities are."

Sashi: "In any case, the killer must have placed this ramp on top of the grass, leading a path from the museum to the concrete. They then placed the gasoline trail over the ramp, therefore creating a path for the fire to spread without damaging the grass in any way."

Tetsu: "Still, doesn't that make Doryo sound more guilty than Nori!?"

Renjiro: "Okay, apparently I was wrong regarding that point, but I still believe Nori's innocent! All you did was prove that the fire trap could have been used after all!"

Emnei: "That's right! There's still no concrete evidence that proves her guilty!"

Tetsu: "Why won't you just let it go already!? We're telling you that Nori is not guilty!"

1) Renjiro: "There's no way Nori is the culprit!"

2) Emnei: "There's no way Nori is the culprit!"

3) Tetsu: "There's no way Nori is the culprit!"

MASS PANIC DEBATE START

TRUTH BULLETS:

1) NORI'S ACCOUNT

2) TETSU'S ACCOUNT

3) EMNEI'S ACCOUNT

4) RENJIRO'S ACCOUNT

5) DORYO'S ACCOUNT

6) CELL PHONE

7) BURNT CONCRETE

. 1) Renjiro: "Nori is completely innocent!"

2) Emnei: "Stop accusing Nori!"

3) Tetsu: "Are you ever going to give up!?"

. 1) Renjiro: "SO JUST STOP IT ALREADY!!!"

2) Emnei: "Do you really think she's the kind of person..."

3) Tetsu: "There's not *even any conclusive evidence!"

. 1) Renjiro: "*The only reason you believe she's guilty*..."

2) Emnei: "who would kill someone!?"

3) Tetsu: "so you have no reason to push things this far!"

. 1) Renjiro: "is because she's the one who set up the movie!"

2) Emnei: "Besides, she's not the only suspect!"

3) Tetsu: "*Doryo could easily have been the culprit*!"

. 1) Renjiro: "Besides, if Nori really did drop the lighter..."

2) Emnei: "You claim Nori dropped the lighter..."

3) Tetsu: "Akina could be the killer as well!"

. 1) Renjiro: "Wouldn't *someone had seen her do it*!?"

2) Emnei: "just because she made us watch the movie!?"

3) Tetsu: "Besides, I already confessed earlier!"

. 1) Renjiro: "We're not blind, you know!"

2) Emnei: "Bull crap, *any of the guests could have done it*!"

3) Tetsu: "I'M THE BLACKENED, NOT NORI!!!"

As expected, everyone is rushing to Nori's defense. I kind of want to believe her too, but Nori asked me to convince the others that she's guilty, so I can't back down now!

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sashi: "I HEARD IT!!!"

BREAK

Sashi: "I'm so sorry Emnei, but you're wrong. None of the guests could have been the culprit."

Emnei: "Why not!? Is it just because they were seated!?"

Sashi: "No, it's not just that. It's also because of what Nori had said to me during the investigation. Isn't that right, Nori?"

Nori: "Yeah. I watched everyone that was in my lab the entire time, and none of them have left their seats."

Sashi: "And since you have to leave your seat to drop the lighter out the window, only Nori could have done it!"

Yemon: "Hold on! How do we know she's telling the truth here!?"

Nori: "Why would I lie about that? If I did saw someone leave their seat and drop the lighter, and I didn't say anything about it, that would basically result in everyone's execution, including me. I'm telling you, only I could have done it."

Tetsu: "That could be your plan all along! You know the real culprit and are protecting them!"

Nori: "If I was trying to protect the real culprit, why would I stop the voting time twice? Both times were planning on voting on someone who didn't watch my movie, whether it be Tetsu or Doryo."

Chimon: "Actually, that's a good point. Now that I'm thinking about, it really looks like Nori is the culprit after all. But if that really true, then that really sucks."

Nori: "I thought you didn't like me."

Chimon: "At first, I really didn't. But that was back when I was super cynical and rude. While your mindless belief in others can get kind of annoying, your kind nature really made you grow on me."

Nori: "Kind? What are you talking about? How could a killer like me possibly be kind!?"

Renjiro: "Calm down, Nori! Even if you are the culprit, I refuse to believe you did it for selfish reasons! You are a kind person!"

Nori: "......"

Emnei: "Honestly, if anything, Nori seems like she's more likely to kill someone and then feel guilty enough to try to get caught as the blackened, then to purposely lie about being the culprit. In that case, was I really wrong about her being innocent!?"

Tetsu: "Of course you are wrong! Maybe she's being tricked by someone! Someone could be forcing her to say she's the culprit against her will!"

Sashi: "Tetsu! Why are you so insistent on this!? If Nori is really innocent, then tell me why! I would love to be wrong, but none of you aren't convincing me!"

Tetsu: "You want evidence!? In that case, I got exactly what you were hoping for! You say Nori dropped the lighter through the window!? In that case, someone should have heard her open the window! You know how creaky windows can be when they open! As long as the people there aren't deaf, they would have heard it!"

Yemon: "That's right! I was there the whole time, but I never heard anything of the sort!"

Renjiro: "See, Nori's innocent after all!"

Sashi: "I'm sorry, but that's not true. It's impossible for anyone to have heard her open the window!"

Tetsu: "Why!? Tell me why that's the case!"

There's a reason nobody heard her open the window. I almost forgot about it. It seemed like an insignificant detail at first, but now that I'm thinking about it, that must be the reason!

HANGMAN'S GAMBIT START

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Question: Why couldn't the guests hear Nori open the window?

AVILABLE ANSWERS: E A R I K M O S F V L P R D

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CORRECT ANSWER: MOVIE SPEAKERS

Sashi: "I see now!"

COMPLETE

Sashi: "The reason we couldn't hear Nori open the window was because the movie speakers were set at max volume."

Yemon: "Oh, yeah! That goddamn movie was so loud I couldn't even hear myself sneeze! Well, maybe not that loud, but still pretty loud. Loud enough to not hear Chimon's farts."

Chimon: "What the hell are you talking about? I never farted."

Yemon: "How do you know that? You could have farted but never knew because the speakers blocked the sound."

Chimon: "Even if I can't hear myself fart, I can still feel the gas coming out! Besides, wouldn't you have smelled it~!"

Emnei: "Can we please stop talking about farts now!? This is a serious situation!"

Yemon: "It's Chimon's fault for farting in the first place."

Chimon: "Shut the fuck up! You aren't funny!"

Sashi: "Seriously, you two. Stop it."

Doryo: "You all are a bunch of fucking immature children."

Chimon: "Because you are clearly the most qualified person to say that."

Sashi: "In any case, that's why Nori made the volume so high! It's so we couldn't hear her open the window!"

Nori: "Wow, you got it right yet again! I god to say, I'm really impressed with your detective skills, Sashi."

Yemon: "Okay, now I'm starting to think Nori really did it as well. Fuck! Why did this have to be the right answer!?"

Emnei: "I hate this so much! This is even worse then when Marika of all people was revealed as the killer."

Renjiro: "Hold on! There's still something wrong with your theory, Sashi!"

Chimon: "What more evidence do you need? It sucks, but it's pretty clear at this point that Nori is the killer."

Renjiro: "If Nori is the killer, then who set up all the prep work including the ramp, gasoline container, fire sprinklers, and tying up the body?"

Doryo: "Didn't Nori do all of that? It seems pretty fucking obvious to me."

Tetsu: "Nori, what time did you arrive at your lab to prepare the movie!?"

Nori: "I would say around 1:45 AM."

Tetsu: "According to Renjiro, Akina left Yemon's lab at around 1:25 AM, which is right before the killer drugged Gyo Shin according to you, Sashi. So, are you saying that Nori managed to move the body all the way to the museum, tie it up, set the alarm for the fire sprinklers, move the ramp from Doryo's lab to the grass outside, and pour the gasoline trail all within the span of twenty minutes? Not to mention with a big injury caused by the wrench Gyo Shin was holding? That would be impossible, especially with someone as physically weak as Nori."

Renjiro: "That's what I was thinking! Explain to me how Nori could possibly be the culprit if this is all true!"

Sashi: "There's a simple explanation to all of that."

Question: How did Nori manage to set up the murder in such a short amount of time?

A. Nori arrived later then she said

B. Nori wasn't really injured

C. Nori had an accomplice

D. She left her lab secretly

CORRECT ANSWER: C

Sashi: "That must be it."

Sashi: "Nori must have had an accomplice do all of that while she was watching her film with the rest of us."

Yemon: "That's certainly possible in this case, as Monokuma's motive did allow the killer to graduate with someone else, so they could benefit from going along with the plan."

Tetsu: "An accomplice? Like whom?"

If my reasoning is right, then the accomplice must have done all the prep work while everyone was watching Nori's movie. In that case, there's only one person it could possibly be.

SELECT SOMEONE

CORRECT ANSWER: AKINA KURODA

Sashi: "It has to be you."

DECIDE

Sashi: "It has to be Akina. There's no one else it could have been."

Renjiro: "Akina!? Now you are bringing her into this!?"

Tetsu: "Akina was involved!? Your accusations never stop, do they!?"

Yemon: "Couldn't Doryo be the accomplice? He had no alibi during Nori's movie as well."

Nori: "Why the fuck would anyone willing cooperate with someone like him?"

Doryo: "You think I'm really the type of person to work with someone? Hell no! I do things at my own pace!"

Chimon: "Considering how badly your previous murder attempt failed, that's probably the best thing you should do when it comes to killing someone. But he has a point. There's no way someone like him would work with someone else."

Sashi: "Still, there are reasons why Akina is the accomplice other than Doryo wouldn't have cooperated with anybody else. First of all, both Akina and Nori visited Yemon's lab. I highly doubt that is a coincidence. Secondly, if Nori was going to drug Gyo Shin at Yemon's lab in the first place, then she must have known about her plan to kill Akina. But how could she have known about it unless Akina told her herself?"

Emnei: "Also, since Gyo Shin was trying to kill Akina, it gives her a motive to cooperate in this plan. She might have wanted Gyo Shin to get murdered before she hurts her or anybody else."

Tetsu: "Still, that's all circumstantial! There's still no conclusive evidence that proves she was involved!"

Sashi: "I do admit my reasons are a little shaky right now, but I assure I do have evidence to support it."

Tetsu: "Then just show it to me already!"

NON-STOP DEBATE START

TRUTH BULLETS:

1) NOTE FOR AKINA

2) AKINA'S LAB DOOR

3) RENJIRO'S ACCOUNR

4) LIGHTER

5) RAMP

6) TETSU'S ACCOUNT

7) CELL PHONE

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

. Emnei: "Considering all the prep work that had to be done...."

. Emnei: "there must be an accomplice."

. Emnei: "As Nori would have been *watching her film at the time*."

. Yemon: "Since *Akina was with Nori in Yemon's lab*..."

. Yemon: "and she has a good motive..."

. Yemon: "it could have been her."

. Renjiro: "Hold on, *the accomplice could also be Doryo*!"

. Doryo: "Why the hell would I cooperate with anyone!?"

. Tetsu: "Besides, Akina was already involved..."

. Tetsu: "in my plan to kill her!"

. Tetsu: "*I was the one who murdered her*!"

. Tetsu: "So how could Nori be in cahoots with Akina!?"

. Chimon: "Isn't it possible that ^the events are connected^?"

. Tetsu: "Connected!? That's nonsense!"

. Tetsu: "^My crime had nothing to do with Nori's^!"

. Tetsu: "Are you saying I'm an accomplice as well!?"

I don't want to believe it, but Akina is an accomplice in the crime. The question is, how do I prove it?

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sashi: "I agree!"

BREAK

Sashi: "Chimon is right, the events are absolutely connected!"

Chimon: "Oh, I just remembered. There was a cell phone in Akina's pocket. According to it, someone last called Akina at exactly 3:45 AM. Now right after this, Akina was stabbed. In that case, it couldn't have been Tetsu who called her. In that case, it could only be Nori! It doesn't make sense for anyone else to have called her."

Emnei: "Also, isn't it weird how it happened right after Nori's movie ended? It's almost like Nori planned this to happen right after."

Yemon: "Nori must have called Akina to let her know it's time for Tetsu's murder to be put into action. She probably wanted Akina to scream before we left her lab, so we would all rush towards the crime scene."

Doryo: "But wouldn't someone have heard or seen her make the call?"

Chimon: "There was so much talking going on that we easily couldn't have heard it if she was whispering. Besides, she could have easily just hid behind the projector."

Sashi: "Exactly. The cell phone proves that both murders are connected after all! So Akina really is an accomplice! Is that correct, Nori?"

Nori: "Yes. You got it right yet again, Sashi! Akina is my accomplice."

I really don't get it. Why would she get cooperate in this murder plan!? This doesn't seem like her at all!

Renjiro: "What!? Why would she get involved! But that's not even the worst part! Doesn't this mean that Tetsu is an accomplice as well!?"

Tetsu: "Of course not! There's no way I would get involved in any of this bullshit!"

Wow, you can tell Tetsu is being really emotional if she starts swearing, which she normally never does.

Sashi: "But in that case, it makes sense why you keep trying to push us towards the wrong conclusion! You made us think Akina died first and you were the culprit in order to defend Nori! Does that mean you were really trying to get us executed after all!? Why would you do something so awful!?"

Doryo: "So she fucking lied a third time when she said she wasn't trying to get us all executed! That fucking dirty bitch!"

Emnei: "I just can't imagine Tetsu doing something like that!"

Tetsu: "You can't imagine it because it's not actually true! I wasn't involved in this plan at all!"

NON-STOP DEBATE START

TRUTH BULLETS:

1) EMNEI'S ACCOUNT

2) BLOODY KNIFE

3) BLOODY WRENCH

4) TETSU'S ACCOUNT

5) MATTRESS

6) BURNT BODY

7) FIRE SPRINKLERS

8) NORI'S ACCOUNT

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

. Chimon: "There are *actually two accomplices in this case*."

. Chimon: "If the first one is Akina...."

. Chimon: "then you must be the second one, Tetsu!"

. Nori: "*You killed Akina*, Tetsu..."

. Nori: "and the cell phone proves these murders are connected."

. Nori: "In that case, you are under suspicion."

. Yemon: "If there's a second accomplice..."

. Yemon: "that also explains the second fire."

. Yemon: "*Tetsu is the only one who could have started it*."

. Tetsu: "*I didn't start the freaking fire*!"

. Tetsu: "Besides, I'm not the only suspect!"

. Tetsu: "*Doryo could have been the accomplice*!

. Renjiro: "That's impossible, because..."

. Renjiro: "*He wasn't the one who killed Akina*!"

. Tetsu: "Just because he didn't kill Akina..."

. Tetsu: "doesn't mean he didn't start the fire."

Tetsu is denying her involvement in the crime. In that case, I just have to show the evidence to make her shut up for good!

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sashi: "NO, THAT'S WRONG!!!"

BREAK

Sashi: "Tetsu, you are the one who set up the second fire. Your own testimony proves it!"

Tetsu: "What!?"

Sashi: "According to you, you left at exactly 4:00 PM to go get Doryo. However, you didn't arrive until 4:20 PM. How do you explain this large time gap if you were simply just going to his dorm room!? The answer is simple. You were busy starting the second fire!"

Tetsu: "I already told you, I was searching for him in other buildings first!"

Sashi: "You expect me to believe such an obvious lie? That you of all people would forget to check his dorm room first?"

Tetsu: "Gh!"

Chimon: "Looks like you dug your own grave."

Tetsu: "But like I said, the culprit could also have been Doryo!"

Emnei: "Doryo had no involvement in Akina's murder, and since the incidents have already been proven to be connected, that can't be the case!"

Yemon: "Not to mention, if he had started the fire first, wouldn't you have noticed it? How come he was the first person to notice the fire!? If Doryo was the culprit, he would have likely started the fire before you even came out of Akina's lab. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been in his room when you went to go get him."

Sashi: "You can't run away now, Tetsu. The evidence proving that you were involved in the crime is too apparent to ignore."

Tetsu: "Okay, you got it right! I was an accomplice!"

Nori: "Does that mean we're done here?"

Tetsu: "But I was only an accomplice to Akina! Nori had nothing to do with this! Someone else could have easily called Akina! It doesn't have to be the killer! Akina was the one who murdered Gyo Shin, not me! She could have easily just started the fire at the concrete! It doesn't mean a lighter was dropped from the goddamn window!"

Sashi: "But what other reason is there to start a fire by the concrete if not to drop the lighter from Nori's lab window?"

Tetsu: "I don't know! All I know is that there's no goddamn evidence that proves Nori is the culprit! It's just a bunch of theories! Nothing is conclusive at all! Akina is the killer, which means I'm the blackened! I said it at the start! I'M THE FUCKING CULPRIT!!!"

This is our last battle. If I can shatter Tetsu's last argument, then this awful class trial will be finally over. I just need to provide the conclusive proof that Nori is guilty!

ARGUMENT ARMAMENT START

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PHASE 1:

"When will your accusations stop!?"

"Nori isn't the killer!"

"You don't even have any evidence!"

"So why won't you stop!?"

"Nori wouldn't hurt a fly!!!"

"Why don't you realize that!?"

PHASE 2:

"I admit that I killed Akina."

"I also admit that I am an accomplice..."

"who started the second fire."

"However, Akina is the one who killed Gyo Shin!

"I'm only an accomplice to her!"

"Nori had nothing to do with this!"

"I'm the goddamn culprit!!!"

PHASE 3:

"This is all bunch of nonsense!"

"It's nothing but theories!"

"There's no fucking evidence is sight!!!"

"I thought you were my friend!"

"I also thought you were Nori's friend!"

"Is this how friends treat each other!?"

"Are baseless accusations your idea of friendship!!!"

"If not, then fucking stop already!"

FINAL BLOW!

"There's absolutely no conclusive evidence that Nori is the culprit!

W: WOUND

A: ON

S: BANDAGES

D: USED

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

USED BANDAGES ON WOUND

Sashi: "It ends here!"

Tetsu: "AHHHHHHHH!"

BREAK

Sashi: "An anesthetic wasn't the only thing taken from the infirmary. There was also some~!"

Nori: "Sashi, please stop!"

Sashi: "Huh?"

Nori: "Tetsu, you know the proof, don't you?"

Tetsu: "Are you telling me to present the final evidence!?"

Nori: "Yes. Please do it for me, Tetsu."

Tetsu: "Why are you doing this!? Do you really want to die that badly!? I'm trying to defend you here!"

Nori: "I don't want to be defended! I'm sick of the way you're screaming at everyone else for accusing me! The truth shouldn't lead to arguments like this!"

Tetsu: "I thought this is what you wanted!"

Nori: "Tetsu, stop it! We can talk about this after everyone votes!"

Just what is going on between these two? And why is Tetsu acting so out of character here? Even Renora didn't quite snap like she did. But I guess Tetsu is preventing the final piece of evidence, so I should keep my mouth shut.

Tetsu: "Fine! I'll present the goddamn evidence!"

After wiping her tearful eyes, she took a deep breath and stated the final proof.

Tetsu: "Bandages were also taken from the infirmary. And since Nori was hit by Gyo Shin with a wrench, she must have used them to treat her wound. Now, Nori happens to have a long skirt that covers her knees. But maybe she's hiding a wound on her knee? Nori, can you please reveal it to everyone else?"

Nori lifted up her skirt and showed us her knee, which was completely bandaged up. Even with the bandages, I could still see blood oozing out. There was absolutely no doubt at this point.

Nori: "This is the proof that I'm guilty. Now you guys don't have to doubt the truth anymore."

Renjiro: "Why? Why is the right answer!?"

Emnei: "And why did Tetsu and Akina have to be involved!? It just doesn't make any sense!"

Nori: "Sashi, please finish this. Do the closing argument like you always do. Just to make sure everyone gets the whole truth."

Sashi: "Alright. I'm on it."

CLOSING ARGUMENT START

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sashi: "This is the truth of the case!"

DANGANRONPA

ACT 1

"This case began when Gyo Shin gave a note to Akina, telling her to go to Yemon's lab at 1:20 PM. However, while the note said that Gyo Shin was going to tell Akina a way to stop more murders, the actual truth is ironically the exact opposite. Gyo Shin was planning on killing Akina and to escape alone! It's still very shocking that Gyo Shin, who I thought of a friend all this time, would do something horrible. However, what Akina decided to do next was even more shocking. She decided to talk to both Tetsu and the main culprit of this case in order to get them to be a part of a murder plan to kill both Gyo Shin and Akina herself! I don't know why any of these people would agree to be a part of something so awful, but I'm sure the reasons will reveal itself before the blackened is executed. Basically, the plan was to have them kill Gyo Shin first, and then have Tetsu kill Akina. However, due to the trial rules, only Akina's killer would become the blackened. But I imagine they were planning on escaping with Tetsu using the new motive, as otherwise there's no reason for Tetsu to get involved in this plan. The idea of this plan was to make us think Akina died first, so we would suspect Tetsu as the blackened instead, and vote for her rather than the actual blackened. I imagine that's why Tetsu was acting so suspicious during the class trial, and also why Akina's murder was much easier to solve than Gyo Shin's murder. The entire plan was to make us figure out the identity of Akina's killer first, which was exactly what happened, as we initially thought Akina died first, so we covered her murder before Gyo Shin's. However, Nori eventually abandoned the plan, and led us to her finding out that she was the culprit. I'm really grateful that she did this, as otherwise we would have voted for either Tetsu or Doryo, resulting in the execution of everyone except the two culprits in this case. After Akina managed to get the other two to cooperate with her, they began to put their plan into action.

ACT 2

"Next, the killer decided to head to Yemon's lab first, as they know Gyo Shin would eventually arrive there. However, they didn't want Gyo Shin to be aware of their presence, so they decided to hide. I imagine they hid in the race car at the scene, where they then waited. After some time, Gyo Shin arrives next to the scene. However, the culprit didn't decide to strike just yet, as they wanted to wait for Akina to arrive, so Gyo Shin would be distracted by her, and thus be less likely to be aware of the killer's presence. Eventually, Akina arrived at the scene as well. As soon as Akina came to the scene, Gyo Shin decided to try to murder her using the wrench found at the scene. Unfortunately for Gyo Shin, Akina ran out of Yemon's lab before she could, which was then witnessed by Renjiro. I imagine Gyo Shin gave chase to try to escape with her. But before Gyo Shin could leave the scene, she was caught by the culprit, who then drugged her with an anesthetic from the infirmary. However, right before Gyo Shin went unconscious, she decided to fight back. Gyo Shin lunged the wrench at the culprit behind her, hitting them right in the knee! This is how the bloodstain at Yemon's lab was created, as well as what caused the wrench to be covered in blood. But before long, Gyo Shin lost consciousness."

ACT 3

"Next, the killer got some bandages from the infirmary. They then used them to wrap their bloody wound, which was used as indisputable evidence that they were the killer in the trial. I imagine that before this, Akina had moved the mattress to below the window of Yemon's lab, which the culprit then used to drop Gyo Shin's body onto it. After Nori finished doing this, she left Yemon's lab. This is when Akina decided to put her plan into action. Considering how high the drop was, even with the mattress, Gyo Shin must have woken up. In that case, Akina must have just injected Gyo Shin again with the anesthetic, causing her to fall asleep once again. Finally, Akina decided to move her body away from the mattress and towards the museum."

ACT 4

"While Akina was putting her plan into action, the culprit headed over to her lab. This is where she put her side of the plan into action. The killer claimed that they had gathered us all here in order to make us watch a movie. While this is true, the main purpose wasn't to entertain us, but to use it as a basis in their murder plan! Before the movie even started, they turned the volume of the movie speakers to the max. This was crucial to what they were planning on doing later on. Once all the guests arrived at the scene, which were Yemon, Chimon, me, and Renjiro, they started their movie. Akina was originally supposed to arrive, which made us worried about her. However, the killer told us that they seen Akina earlier, so we shouldn't worry. I imagine they did this in order to make us not look for her, as she needed to be alone to put her plan into action."

ACT 5

"Once Akina arrived at the museum, she decided to tie Gyo Shin's unconscious body to a wooden chair with duct tape. The reason the chair was made of wood wasn't a coincidence, but because they were planning on setting in on fire, killing Gyo Shin! Next, after turning them off, she set the timer for the fire sprinklers to 4:50 PM. Akina did this because she predicted this would be when we would discover the fire. Akina then took a gasoline container from the warehouse and started pouring a trail of it leading from the wooden chair to outside the museum. Before this, Akina had placed a ramp from Doryo's lab over the grass patch next to the museum. She then poured the gasoline container over the ramp and towards a patch of concrete below the window of Nori's lab. After doing all of this, Akina left the scene."

ACT 6

"After Akina finished all the prep work, it was time for the culprit to commit the actual murder. Once they saw that Akina was done, the killer decided to open their lab window. Nobody saw her do this, as the window curtains would have covered the act. Nobody would have heard it as well due to the movie speakers being turned to max volume, which is why they did that in the first place. Next, they took a lighter from their pocket and dropped it outside the window. Once it reached the concrete below, the trail of gasoline was lit on fire, resulting in the concrete being burnt. Since concrete is normally fire-proof, this was later used as proof that the killer had dropped the lighter from above, proving their guilt. Once the fire reached the wooden chair, Gyo Shin was immediately lit on fire, causing her to wake up! Luckily, before Gyo Shin could burn for much longer, she breathed into too much smoke from the fire, causing her to suffocate. Eventually, Gyo Shin took her last breath of smoke and died."

ACT 7

"At the same time the killer's movie was finished, which was around 3:40 PM, Tetsu left Emnei at the library, where they were both staying. This caused Emnei to be immediately suspicious, as she did it without warning and never specified where she was going when asked. She then headed towards Akina's lab, where Akina was already waiting inside. Tetsu waited outside Akina's lab, right beside the door, which was wide open."

ACT 8

"After the culprit finished their movie, they called Akina using their cell phone. This was done in order to signal her that it was time for the next part of the plan to come into action. Once the phone call was finished, Tetsu did something nobody could have predicted. She suddenly took out a knife and stabbed Akina in the stomach with it, causing a bloodstain to splatter on both the side and back of the door. Tetsu then slammed the lab door in Akina's face and fled the scene. But Akina wasn't done with her plan quite yet, even on the verge of death. Next, she decided to lock the lab door on the inside. Why did she decide to do this? It's because Akina was planning to do this from the start, which means that she wanted to be murdered from the start! That's right! Akina's murder was actually an assisted suicide that was a part of the entire plan from the start! As for why she was so quick to give up on her life, even I don't know the answer. I don't get why Akina would want to be murdered like this, but it's what happened, nevertheless. Anyways, the reason Akina locked the door in the first place was to create a locked room mystery. Because the door was locked, we would assume that Akina had committed suicide. In reality, this was both a murder and a suicide. However, due to the unnatural bloodstain, we were able to conclude that Akina's death was caused by someone else's hand. After Akina locked the door, she walked over to the middle of the room, where she then collapsed and died."

ACT 9

"Once Akina was stabbed, everyone at Nori's lab, including me and the killer, had heard her scream. Immediately, we ran towards the scene, where we discovered Akina's dead body. Soon after, Tetsu arrived. However, Doryo had yet to arrive, so Tetsu volunteered to go find Doryo in his room. However, little did we know, this was also a part of her plan."

ACT 10

"Before heading towards Doryo's dorm room, Tetsu decided to head to the museum. Once Tetsu was there, she decided to start a second fire by lighting the grass patch near the museum with the lighter dropped by Nori. This was done to make us think that the fire had happened earlier than it actually did. In truth, that turned out to be both incorrect and correct, as we assumed there was one fire, when in reality there was two. The first happened before Akina died, while the second happened after her death. Once the fire had started, Tetsu headed towards Doryo's dorm room like she originally planned. After she met up with him, they headed towards Akina's lab. However, before they arrived, Doryo had noticed the fire, which he then alerted the others about. Once we heard about the fire, we headed towards the museum."

ACT 11

"We immediately doused the fire outside the museum with water buckets. Once we headed inside however, the fire sprinklers doused the fire burning Gyo Shin's body. At the time, we assumed that the fire had just happened and that the fire sprinklers had just automatically turned on. However, this is what the killer wanted us to think. In reality, the fire sprinklers turned on because they were set to 4:50 PM. Once the fire sprinklers turned off, Gyo Shin's dead body was revealed, for which the killers pretended to be shocked with the rest of us. In reality, they were likely relieved that their plan worked out. This about covers everything regarding the culprit's plan from top to bottom, and the person who killed Gyo Shin, making then the blackened according to trial rules, is...

"Nori Owari, the Ultimate Film Director! You may not be the only killer, but you're the one who murdered first!"

COMPLETE

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sashi: "Alright, I finished it, Nori. Are you happy now?"

Nori: "Yes. I'm so proud of you, Sashi! I knew you could solve this case!"

Sashi: "Why are you so happy!? You're about to be executed!"

Nori: "Never mind that! Let's just get to the voting already!"

Renjiro: "I hate this so much!"

Emnei: "I really don't want to vote for Nori, but I guess I have no choice at this point."

Tetsu: "......."

Tetsu seemed to have gotten over her anger. Now, she seemed to be crying uncontrollably. No matter how much she tried to stop the tears, they kept coming out.

Monokuma: "Alright, I guess it's time to vote now! The heart-racing excitement as the blackened and the spotless face off! It's... VOTING TIME!!!"

Once again, on the screen were the pictures of all the other students. Despite having even more hesitance than the first two times, I clicked Nori's picture and pressed the vote button. After waiting for a bit for everyone else to vote, the screen said "ANNOUCEMENT" and turned black again.

Monokuma: "Puhuhuhu... It seems the voting has finished. Now then, let's see the result."

The tallied votes for everyone were showed on the screen. Next to Nori were seven tallies, while there was a single tally next to Tetsu. Tetsu must have voted for herself, because there's no way Nori would have done that after trying so desperately to get caught as the blackened. It seems like even at the end, Tetsu couldn't accept the reality of Nori having to be executed, therefore preventing them from escaping together.

Monokuma: "Who'll be chosen as the blackened!? Will you make the right choice or the dreadfully wrong one!?"

Just like last time, the screen turned to a wheel with the faces of every student on each section. On top of the middle of the wheel was an arrow. The wheel started to spin rapidly before slowly stopping. It eventually landed with Nori right on top of the arrow. The screen suddenly started flashing and a small jingle could be heard, which means we voted correctly yet again.

CLASS TRIAL ALLRISE!

TRIAL PHASES:

1\. NON-STOP DEBATE

2\. NON-STOP DEBATE

3\. HANGMAN'S GAMBIT

4\. NON-STOP DEBATE

5\. NON-STOP DEBATE

6\. NON-STOP DEBATE

7\. NON-STOP DEBATE

8\. LOGIC TEAM

9\. PSYCHE TAXI

10\. HANGMAN'S GAMBIT

11\. NON-STOP DEBATE

12\. REBUTTAL SHOWDOWN

13\. PSYCHE TAXI

14\. DEBATE SCRUM

15\. LOGIC TEAM

16\. REBUTTAL SHOWDOWN

17\. MASS PANIC DEBATE

18\. HANGMAN'S GAMBIT

19\. NON-STOP DEBATE

20\. NON-STOP DEBATE

21\. ARGUMENT ARMAMENT

22\. CLOSING ARGUMENT

CLASS TRIAL END

Monokuma: "I can't believe it, but you guys managed to get it right yet again! The killer who killed Gyo Shin Morikawa is none other than Nori Owari, the Ultimate Film Director! Although, they pretty much brought the conviction on themselves, so I don't know if it's really that much of a splendid achievement. Also, in case you were wondering, the person who killed Akina Kuroda is in fact, Tetsu Yanagi."

Nori: "I'm so proud of you all! You managed to put a terrible murderer like me to justice! At this rate, you'll able to solve any future class trials in no time!"

Renjiro: "Why? WHY DID YOU KILL HER!?! I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND, NORI!!!"

Nori: "Do you really need my reasons? Isn't it best to just get the execution over with already?"

Emnei: "No! Absolutely not! We have to hear the truth from your own lips! Plus, it's not just you! We want to find out why Akina and Tetsu also participated in this plan!"

Nori: "Alright. I'll talk if you guys really want to me. Although I don't possibly see how a killer like me could ever have a valid reason to commit such a vile, unforgivable act."

Yemon: "We'll tell you how valid your reasons are once you tell them. For now, please tell us why you did such a thing."

Nori: "The truth is, my reasons are complicated to say the least. It's to the point where I'm not even sure myself why I did it. However, I will say that my motives and Akina's motives for doing this are pretty much the exact same. She's the one who approached me with the plan, you know."

Chimon: "I figured. Such a clever plan doesn't really suit someone like you."

Nori: "You're damn right about that! I couldn't even figure out a plan even as half as clever as this one! Just being told what to do word for word kind of confused me! Anyways, since Akina was the one came up with the whole idea, maybe I should tell you word for word what she told me. Her motives lie in those words."

FLASHBACK START

It all started when Akina came to my dorm room yesterday afternoon during our free time.

Nori: "Oh, hello Akina! It's nice to see you here!"

Akina: "Nori, I was hoping I could have a serious discussion with you. Listen, you might not have known this, but I realized something about you recently."

Nori: "Huh? What have you realized?"

Akina: "You're faking your emotions, aren't you?"

Nori: "Faking? I have no idea what you mean."

Akina: "You pretend to be optimistic and cheerful, even during this situation, when in reality it's seriously breaking you, possibly more than anyone else here."

Nori: "What!? How did you even figure that out!?"

Akina: "I can tell by the subtle hints you give me whenever we hang out together. I swear from time to time, I can see tears coming out of your eyes, no matter the time or place. And your optimism, it's almost unnatural. Like how could you be so positive in such a terrible situation? How are you able to give such motivational speeches to the other students when six people have already died?"

FLASHBACK END

Nori: "I was shocked, because what Akina was saying was absolutely correct. I was faking my emotions. I figured if I showed how I was really feeling, I wouldn't be able to lead everyone. A lot of the motivation I gave to the rest of the group wasn't just to motivate the others, but to motivate me. I figured if I pretended to be happy, I might actually become happy. But it never worked! All it did was caused me to become depressed! Thoughts of death suddenly no longer feared me in this killing game because I figured that escape is impossible at this point! So, what's the point of living anymore if you are just going to be trapped here forever!?"

Renjiro: "That's not true! I'm sure we can escape from this place someday!"

Nori: "That's what I wanted to believe, but I don't know if it's even possible at this point! So many people have died already, and we still haven't made any more progress on our situation!"

Emnei: "Nori, I had no idea what you were going through. You pretended to be the least affected person by the situation, when in reality you were probably one of the people that were affected the most."

Nori: "However, I wasn't the only one who felt this way. Akina had also lost any sense of hope in this situation."

Sashi: "Akina!?"

Nori: "Yep. She told me so after confronting me about hiding my emotions."

FLASHBACK START

Nori: "Yes. I have been hiding my emotions! I was doing this to fucking survive! This killing game is awful, and it's constantly making me think suicidal thoughts! Especially since this terrible motive was introduced! I'm a social and energetic person! I can't stand to be locked up in one place with no social interaction or entertainment for hours on end! It's making me miserable!"

Akina: "Well, it's nice to finally see the real you. But the reason I'm telling you about this, is because I feel the exact fucking way! I'm pretending to be my normal self, when in reality it has completely vanished from this world! I feel like a completely different person now! I'm depressed to the point where death doesn't even mean anything to be anymore! And that's not even getting into the new motive that was introduced!"

Nori: "It's nice to know that you feel the same way as me, but what the fuck are we going to do about it!?"

Akina: "This motive, you want it to end, don't you? Not just for you or me, but for everyone in this killing game."

Nori: "Of course I fucking do."

Akina: "Alright then. Now, this may completely and utterly insane, and it probably is, but please hear me out. I have a plan."

Nori: "Don't tell me you're thinking what I think you are!?"

Akina: "Yes. The only way to stop this motive is to kill someone, so I have a suggestion to make."

Akina then laid out the entire plan while I listened in shock and horror. I was terrified that Akina would even think about doing something like this. But even so, there was an undying feeling in my brain that was telling me I should go along with this plan.

Akina: "And that's about it. So, do you agree to cooperate with me?"

Nori: "...... What!? You're fucking insane, you know that!?"

Akina: "Yes. I expected you to react like that. Maybe I really am insane for thinking of doing something like this in the first place! However, you don't have to follow on my plan if you don't want to. If not, I will probably just fucking kill myself by slitting my wrists or something. Either way, I don't want to fucking live anymore!"

Nori: "Akina!? You're really scaring me! You shouldn't end your life so easily! If you do, we will all be heartbroken! Do you really want the others to have to deal with this!?"

Akina: "But you also feel the same way, or am I wrong? You also want to die, don't you? You're even more well-liked than me. In that case, wouldn't your death be even more selfish than mine?"

Nori: "I never said I was actually going to commit suicide, I just thought about it!"

Akina: "Oh, really? In that case, if you decide to go through with this plan, I'm giving you two choices. One is that you escape alone with Tetsu, resulting in the execution in everyone except you two. I wouldn't recommend this option, and I would in fact rather you don't do this, but I'm happy to commit to the plan no matter what you decide to do. The second option is that you try to purposely get yourself caught in the class trial by helping the other students come to the right conclusion. In that case, you will not only be helping the other students improve their deduction and logic skills, preparing them for future class trials, but you will also be able to die just like you wanted."

Nori: "Akina! I haven't seen this side of you before, and it's really scaring me!"

Akina: "Haha! You're absolutely right! In fact, I haven't seen this side of me either! These killing games, am I right!? They absolutely fuck with people's personalities and turns them into evil monsters!"

Nori: "Akina!!! Seriously, stop it!!! You're really freaking me out!!!"

Akina: "I'm freaking myself out as well! I'm so glad that we are on the exact same page! Ahahahaha!!!"

FLASHBACK END

Nori: "I was seriously shocked. It's like Akina just became a completely different person."

Sashi: "Are you seriously telling me Akina snapped that hard!? I had no fucking idea!"

Doryo: "Seriously, what is that bitch's problem!?"

Yemon: "It looks like Gyo Shin wasn't the only person who became bat shit insane. Akina was just better at hiding it."

Emnei: "This killing game, it really is tearing people apart!"

Nori: "However, like you would expect, I wasn't really bent on being a part of this plan yet. First of all, there was a few things I didn't understand about Akina's plan."

FLASHBACK START

Nori: "Look, I kind of get your motivations! You want to die and to stop everyone else from suffering from that stupid motive, but there's still two things that I don't get! First of all, why did Gyo Shin have to die!? It's immoral to kill someone without their consent in this whole situation! Secondly, why does Tetsu have to get involved!? She's such a sweet girl! She doesn't deserve to be a part of this!"

Akina: "For your first question, I would say that I want Gyo Shin to be killed for three reasons. First of all, she tried to murder me and escape alone. She's a danger to me and the other students! If we let her live, what's to say she won't try to kill me or someone else again!?"

Nori: "If it really gets that bad, we can just tie her up like Doryo! You don't have to go as far as murder!"

Akina: "True, but like I said, that's not my only reason. The second reason is that like I myself, she also wants to die. Remember that she tried to commit suicide before we stopped her? In that case, murdering her may be exactly what she wanted."

Nori: "But Gyo Shin said she was planning on surviving for just a bit longer! She stopped herself from committing suicide, so how can you know that!?"

Akina: "That fact that Gyo Shin is planning to kill me in the first place is proof that she was lying. If she was really wanted to survive with the rest of us and be faithful to Chiyo's wishes, she wouldn't have tried to murder me and escape alone."

Nori: "I know, but still! It sounds like you're making excuses for killing someone in cold blood!"

Akina: "Perhaps I am. Like I said, this is just a thought I have. We don't actually have to follow through with it if you don't want to. In any case, my final reason for wanting to kill Gyo Shin in my plan is that it makes things more complex."

Nori: "Complex? What the hell are you talking about!? How is that a reason!?"

Akina: "Remember how I said that if you choose to try to purposely get yourself caught, but not fully admit to it, you will be able to not only prevent the execution of everyone except you, but you also be able to test the deduction and logic skills of the others? Well, the harder and more complicated a case is to solve, the more the other students will be prepared for future class trials. We had a hard time in the past just solving one murder, so now we have two to solve."

Nori: "Okay, I think I get your reasons now. Still, the fact that you're willing to kill yourself, Gyo Shin, and me if I get caught is really scary."

Akina: "Yeah, it is kind of scary."

FLASHBACK END

Nori: "So that's why Akina wanted to kill Gyo Shin."

Renjiro: "Still, I'm sure we could have stopped Gyo Shin from trying to kill you and try to survive with the rest of us! This whole plan is so unnecessary, and it causes so many of our friends to die!"

Nori: "Yes, I realize that now. However, before I lecture about how immoral my actions are, perhaps I should finish telling my story."

Yemon: "Hold on. I have one question. How did Akina know Gyo Shin was going to kill her? The note had my signature, so wouldn't she assume it came from me?"

Nori: "Yeah, I asked her about that as well. It turns out that Gyo Shin had slid the note under Akina's door early in the afternoon yesterday. However, Akina saw someone slid the note, as she herself was still in her room. So, she decided to open the door to see who gave it to her, and she saw Gyo Shin leaving the area. Gyo Shin didn't notice that Akina had witnessed her, of course."

Emnei: "That makes sense."

Chimon: "Seriously, what did Gyo Shin think was going to happen? You should have at least made sure Akina was out of her room first."

Yemon: "Gyo Shin, is not the brightest person out there, so I could easily see her not really thinking things through that much."

Renjiro: "I'm sure she was just in a panicked state! Gyo Shin wasn't really thinking about her plan much because of the situation and all! It's hard to stay calm and think rationally at a time like this!"

Chimon: "True, but that's not the only dumb thing about her plan. First of all, why the hell did she try to kill Akina of all people!? She's both athletically stronger and more intellectually gifted than Gyo Shin. In fact, she's one of the smartest people in our entire group. Did she really think Akina wouldn't catch on to what Gyo Shin was trying to do or at least fight back!?"

Emnei: "That's...... actually a good point. Not that I'm trying to make fun of the dead or anything by calling Gyo Shin stupid."

Chimon: "You would think she would choose one of the less intelligent and weaker students. In that case, Nori would have been the perfect choice. Not to offend you or anything, Nori."

Nori: "None taken. I understand I'm a fucking dumbass."

Chimon: "But even if she had chosen someone like Nori, why would she write Yemon's signature? Right now, Yemon has been acting very cynical and rude lately, so he's pretty much one of the most untrustworthy students. Even I would be a better choice than him. If someone saw that Yemon had written a note, telling them to go to a specific place at a certain time, then they are more likely to be suspicious. However, if it came from one of the nicer and more trustworthy students, like Sashi or Emnei, they would be more likely to trust it. Seriously, how could you mess this up? It's like Gyo Shin was trying to get killed."

Nori: "Actually, that may be exactly what Gyo Shin was hoping."

Sashi: "Huh?"

Nori: "I think Gyo Shin purposely choose Yemon and Akina because it could possibly backfire on her. Gyo Shin either wanted to die or escape, so if she chooses someone that is much stronger and smarter than her, like Akina, it could be possible that she would get murdered instead, which is exactly what happened in this case."

Yemon: "I guess that makes sense, but how could you assume something like that?"

Nori: "It's based on what I heard from Gyo Shin before she tried to murder Akina."

FLASHBACK START

Gyo Shin: "Hello, Akina."

Akina: "Don't even try to hide it. I know what you're planning to do to me. You're planning to murder me, aren't you?"

Gyo Shin: "So you figured it out, huh. I expected that to happen, to be honest. This is probably going to backfire horribly on me, but I don't really even care at this point. I'm so sorry for this Akina. I really don't like the idea of having to kill anybody, but it's hopeless at this point. I can't handle this situation anymore! I tried to hang on just a little bit longer, but it's done nothing to help my mental state! I don't think I'm ever going to escape from this awful school! I need to get out, no matter what! I still have so many things I want to do in life! But, if this results in my death, that's fine as well. By death or escape, I just want out. I'm so sorry for this Akina. Just know that nothing about this is personal against you."

Gyo Shin then grabbed the wrench and ran towards Akina, but she managed to escape and shut the door behind her.

FLASHBACK END

Nori: "That's when I drugged Gyo Shin, and she then hit me in the knee with her wrench."

Sashi: "I guess that does clear it up then."

Emnei: "Hold on. If Gyo Shin didn't care about her survival, then why did she try to fight back like that? She didn't have to hit you in the knee like that!"

Nori: "I think that was her way of apologizing for what she did."

Renjiro: "How does that even remotely resemble an apology!?"

Nori: "Gyo Shin could have hit me in far more fatal places, like the face or even the top of my head if she swung hard enough. But instead, she just hit me in the knee, and I think I know why. She was trying to tell the others that I was the culprit without actually killing me, which is what happened in this case. My knee wound was used an indisputable evidence that I was the culprit."

Chimon: "Oh, I think I get what you mean! If Gyo Shin really didn't care about us, she would just have done nothing. But instead, she decided to give us all a significant clue as a sign of remorse for her previous actions."

Sashi: "I'm going to be honest. When I initially heard about Gyo Shin trying to kill Akina, I wasn't sure what to think of her now. Was she really our friend if she did something so awful? But now that I see how remorseful and apologetic she was about the situation, I can say now for sure that she's still our friend, without a doubt!"

Renjiro: "Yeah! And the only reason she attacked Akina in the first place was because of this awful fucking killing game! We should blame Monokuma rather than her!"

Monokuma: "Hold on! Why am I responsible for this!? Gyo Shin was the one who attacked Akina, not me!"

Emnei: "Yeah, but you tricked her into doing it! If it wasn't for these dumb motives, she would have never done something like that!"

Monokuma: "It sounds like you guys are making excuses for your friends committing immoral actions. What's wrong? You can't handle that one of your friends tried to murder another, so you decide to play the blame game?"

Yemon: "Can you honestly just shut the fuck up!? You're interrupting our conversation here!"

Monokuma: "Okay! I'm shutting my mouth right now!"

Nori: "I guess I should say that after I drugged Gyo Shin and got my knee bandaged up by Akina, that's when we both started to feel regret about putting our plan into action in the first place."

FLASHBACK START

Akina: "Alright. Your knee is all bandaged up now. Hopefully that will stop the bleeding."

Nori: "Akina, can I be perfectly honest with you? I'm starting to seriously regret ever agreeing to this plan in the first place. I'm starting to feel awful about the idea of killing Gyo Shin and getting Tetsu involved! Like, why would I ever decide to do something so awful!?"

Akina: "I'm glad you said that, because I also feel the exact same way. It's just that we have already started the plan, so it's pointless to say it now. We've already done too much. There's no going back now. It's not like we're just going to leave Gyo Shin unconscious here. If we leave her like this and she decides to confess to the others about what we did, it will just make the whole situation that much worse."

Nori: "Yeah, I agree. As much as I hate doing this, it's already too late. I'm so sorry Gyo Shin. I'm so sorry for the others as well, as you will have to deal with this at the class trial later."

FLASHBACK END

Nori: "That's when I started to realize that agreeing to this plan in the first place was a huge mistake."

Chimon: "So you weren't just trying to get yourself caught in order to die like you wanted. It's because you also feel regretful about your actions in general."

Nori: "Yeah."

Tetsu: "......"

Renjiro: "Tetsu, are you okay? You haven't said a word ever since the voting time."

Tetsu: "......."

Tetsu still seems to be crying about the whole situation. I wonder if she regrets what she did as well? But right now, there's something else concerning me.

Sashi: "Speaking of Tetsu, we still haven't found out why she had to get involved in this plan. Like you told us how Akina explained why Gyo Shin's death had to happen, but you have yet to explain Tetsu's role."

Nori: "Oh, yeah. It's just that we've gotten so off track here. I guess I'll start with right after she told me why Gyo Shin's death was a part of the plan."

FLASHBACK START

Nori: "Okay, so Gyo Shin had to get killed in order for this plan to be successful, but why did Tetsu have to be the one to do it!? You really think she would agree to do something so awful!? Why would you make her be a part of this!? I asked this earlier, but you still haven't answered me!"

Akina: "This may sound ridiculous, but I think this is personally for her sake."

Nori: "Her sake? How could this possibly benefit her in any way!? Being forced to murder one of her friends, as well as being part of this entire plan!"

Akina: "There's something I noticed about Tetsu. She has a hard time accepting the death of her friends. And considering the situation we're in, that's a serious problem."

Nori: "Yeah, I noticed that too. But that's all the more reason why she shouldn't fucking be a part of this!"

Akina: "The thing is, she's by far the most attached to you out of all the students here. You're the one who helped Tetsu come out of her shell and talk with the other students. Not to mention, she's told me how if you two ever escape her alive, you're planning to have Tetsu join your friend group so she can finally have people to legitimately bond with. I'm worried that because of her attachment to you, she might want you to survive, no matter what. She couldn't handle you dying, no matter what. I'm thinking that if she actually manages to get involved in this plan, even if you choose option B and try to personally get caught, Tetsu might still try to defend you. She might even lie in order to prevent your execution."

Nori: "Are you saying Tetsu might try to hide the truth of the case in order to get everyone executed except me and her!? Tetsu's so sweet, she would never do something like that!"

Akina: "I don't know about that. I don't think Tetsu is as harmless as she seems. Just because Tetsu's shy and generally friendly doesn't mean she's completely incapable of committing immoral actions."

Nori: "Still, you're totally assuming things!"

Akina: "Yeah, and I'm sorry. This is all just what I think. I could be wrong about all of this. But hear me out. If Tetsu gets involved, this could be a personally learning experience for her. By making Tetsu tell the others what happened herself, she will be forced to tell the truth, no matter how painful it is. She will have to accept your execution, no matter how much she doesn't want it to happen. If she ever does try to get anybody executed, her guilt may cause her to feel so bad that she will bound to change her ways in the future. Tetsu needs to learn that in order to survive this killing game, you have to be able to move on from the death of your friends and find out the truth yourself."

Nori: "So you're basically saying that you're trying to change Tetsu by making her have to personally deal with the death of her friends!? What the fuck kind of logic is that!?"

Akina: "Maybe if I don't know really myself. But still, it could be a possibility. Tetsu might really learn something from all this, you know. Besides, like I said, you don't have to do anything I suggest. It might be best if we just forget about this plan and try to do something else. I'm just telling you what is going on in my head. Besides, it's unlikely that Tetsu would ever agree to this in the first place."

Nori: "You know what I hate the most!?"

Akina: "What is it?"

Nori: "I'm personally thinking about going along with this plan, and it's scaring me! Why the fuck am I thinking about this!?"

Akina: "Maybe it's for the reasons I listed as well? Maybe you really want to help Tetsu, get rid of this dumb motive, and end the terrible lives of both me and you."

Nori: "AHHHHHH!!! Why am I thinking this!? Is this going to taunt my brain forever!?"

Akina: "So, do you actually want to be a part of the plan?"

Nori: "......"

Akina: "Like I said, this is all your choice. I'm just giving you ideas, but I'm happy with whatever you decide to do."

Nori: "Fine! I'll fucking do it!"

Akina: "Nori!?"

Nori: "I feel like if I don't do something soon, these thoughts are never going to leave my brain! As much as I don't want to, I feel like I need to do something before this awful fucking motive takes too much of a poll on my sanity!"

Akina: "Okay, I honestly didn't expect you to agree to it, but if you really want to do it, then that's what we're going to do. However, like I said, we still aren't starting it until tomorrow. Use this time to think about it until then. If you ever change your mind, be sure to let me know. Until then, goodbye."

FLASHBACK END

Nori: "So that's basically the gist of everything Akina told me yesterday."

Emnei: "......"

Yemon: "......"

No one knew what to say. We were all shocked by the words coming out of Akina's mouth. What she was saying and thinking, it was almost incomprehensible.

Renjiro: "I don't get it! Did she really think she was doing a good deed at the time by going along with the plan!? Also, why did you accept it so easily, Nori!?"

Nori: "I don't even know. Maybe I really am an awful human being."

Chimon: "Shut up!"

Nori: "Huh!? Are you mad at me?"

Chimon: "I'm mad that you would say such awful things to yourself! It's clear that you obviously were just desperate and were going to do anything to end the situation, no matter what!"

Nori: "You really shouldn't be excusing my actions like that. I'm nothing but a terrible murderer, who has done terrible things to both Gyo Shin and Tetsu."

Emnei: "I'm definitely not saying what you did was okay, but Gyo Shin wanted to die just like Akina, so was your murder of her really that much different? I think in the end, you still had clear good intentions. You wanted to help change Tetsu for the better, even if the methods seem a little extreme. Not to mention, you wanted to prevent the rest of us from being locked up in our rooms any longer."

Nori: "No, you really don't get it."

Sashi: "What is else is there to get? Isn't that all there is to it? Nori, we get your reasons. They may sound strange and incomprehensible to us, but we understand that you had good intentions about all of this. We forgive you. Especially how you never tried to hide the truth. That alone makes you much more sympathetic than the previous three culprits, who risked all of our lives by hiding what had happened."

Nori: "Tetsu may think differently though. Do you even understand how she agreed to my plan in the first place!?"

Tetsu: "......."

Tetsu gave a look of both anger and sadness. She seemed really upset at Nori for some reason.

Yemon: "Tetsu, are you okay!?"

Tetsu: "Are you seriously telling me now that you all did this for me!? I never heard anything like that from you! And you're also saying that you wanted to be caught the whole time!? I swear I heard the exact opposite from your mouth! You tricked me!"

Nori: "......I'm so sorry Tetsu."

Renjiro: "Wait, what the hell is going on!? What do you mean, Nori 'tricked' you!?"

Chimon: "I think we need to hear this from Nori herself."

Tetsu: "You manipulated me! You tricked me into doing all of this!"

Emnei: "Is this true, Nori!?"

Nori: "This is why I told you guys not to forgive me so easily."

Sashi: "Wait, what!? So, you really did manipulate Tetsu!?"

Nori: "I guess that's the word to describe it. At this point, I have no choice but to tell you exactly what happened, so you all aren't left hanging in the dark. It's all when I gave Tetsu a visit to tell her about the plan Akina had come up with."

FLASHBACK START

Tetsu: "Oh, hello Nori. It's always wonderful to see you."

Nori: "Listen, Tetsu. There's something I need to talk about with you."

Tetsu: "What is it?"

Nori: "Tetsu, don't you really want to escape this place? And isn't this motive just awful?"

Tetsu: "Yes, I really do want to escape this terrible school, but it feels like no matter what we do, it's pointless. We talk about working together and escaping, but is that really going to happen? The more days that pass by, the more depressed and hopeless I feel! Like, what can we even do at this point!?"

Nori: "Yeah, I've been thinking the same thing. I don't think there's any way to possibly escape this place. No matter what we do, it all feels pointless! Our friends end up dying anyways!"

Tetsu: "I know right."

Nori: "In that case, I have another question for you. Don't you want me to survive no matter what? Don't you want to escape with me?"

Tetsu: "Of course I do. You're practically the closet I ever had to a best friend."

Nori: "Then how about you listen to what I have to say. You see, I have a plan."

I gave out my murder plan in extreme detail while Tetsu listened in horror.

Nori: "Now, what do you say?"

Tetsu: "I say that there's no way I'm going to be a part of that! Like are you seriously telling me I have to participate in a murder plan that gets Gyo Shin killed, and where I have to murder Akina by my own hands!? Not to mention having all my friends executed except you and me! I could never do something so awful! Why would you ever think of doing something like that!?"

Nori: "Tetsu, listen. It's the only way we're ever going to escape this place. If you don't get involved in this plan, you're never going to leave this school."

Tetsu: "That may be true, but I would rather live here for the rest of my life then do something so awful!"

Nori: "Tetsu, this isn't just for you. It's also for me! If I can't escape this place, then I'll never be happy! In fact, I'll probably just fucking kill myself! You wouldn't want that, would you?"

Tetsu: "......"

Nori: "Tetsu, please do this for me. Not to mention, Akina and Gyo Shin both want to die as well, so you will be doing them a favor by participating in this plan."

Tetsu: "Still, why should I cause the execution of my friends!? You're seriously scaring me! I feel like I'm seeing a totally different side of you!"

Nori: "I assure you; I'm still me. I just really want to escape with you, no matter what. Don't you want that?"

Tetsu: "No matter how many times you ask me, my answer will always be the same! No means no!"

Nori: "Oh, is that it!? You just don't care about me at all, do you?"

Tetsu: "No, that's not it! I do care about you! It's just that I could never do something so immoral!"

Instantly, I started fake crying. Being the Ultimate Film Director, I'm quite familiar with acting and thus am pretty good at faking my emotions. Using this, I attempted to guilt trip Tetsu into getting involved in the plan.

Nori: "Fine then! I'll f-fucking kill myself right now! My life has no meaning!"

Tetsu: "Please stop!"

Nori: "Unless you agree to my plan, I'll never stop!"

Tetsu: "......"

Nori: "Don't you want to meet some of my friends!? I promised you that I would introduce you to my friend group once we get out of here! Don't you want that!?"

Tetsu: "Why are you acting like this!? This isn't the Nori I knew!"

Nori: "Tetsu, I beg of you! Please do this for us both!"

Tetsu: "Fine, I'll fucking do it! But I'm only doing this for you! I just don't want you to die!"

Nori: "Tetsu, I'm so happy you agreed! Well, get ready tomorrow afternoon, because there's no going back if you really decide to participate in this."

Tetsu: "I'm not planning on backing out of this."

Nori: "......Why?"

Tetsu: "What do you mean, why!?"

Nori: "You know....... never mind."

Tetsu: "Okay, you're concerning me, but I'll try to drop the issue."

Nori: "Goodbye Tetsu. I'll see you tomorrow, I guess."

FLASHBACK END

Nori: "Not so sympathetic now, am I?"

Emnei: "......"

Renjiro: "......."

Sashi: "......"

I was too shocked to say even a single word. Nori, manipulating Tetsu like that!? I would never imagine she would do something so low! I get how she wanted her reasons for wanting Tetsu to participate, but you didn't have to make her do it!

Yemon: "What the hell is wrong with you, Nori!? Why the fuck would you do that to her!?"

Nori: "I have no fucking idea. It's like my personality completely did a 180! I don't even get why I did it! And it's making me feel awful! I'm nothing but a terrible, manipulative murderer!"

Emnei: "Were you really that desperate to help Tetsu that you tried to make her participate, no matter what!?"

Nori: "I guess!?"

Tetsu: "You know, I lied this whole time because you made it clear that you wanted to escape alone with me! You never said anything about admitting your guilt later on! I thought I was doing this for you! And now you're making me feel like an awful person! I put everyone's lives at risk because of what I thought you wanted!"

Sashi: "Nori! This whole this wasn't necessary at all! If you really wanted to save everyone, you should have just killed Akina directly! You didn't have to get Tetsu involved in this whole thing!"

Nori: "Yes, I get that now! This is why I should never have done any of this! I deserve to be executed after all the terrible misdeeds I've done! That's the only way I can atone for my sins!"

Renjiro: "Nori, stop it!"

Nori: "Renjiro!?"

Renjiro: "Why are you being so down on yourself!? Nobody here deserves to be executed brutally, especially not you! Look, I get that you're feeling really guilty about what you did, but it's all in the past! You didn't do it you're generally an immoral person! You did it because of pressure caused by the killing game, the desire to help Tetsu, and you wanting to end this motive once and for all! Even you yourself don't know why you did it! That's proof that the killing game is changing your personality into something that does actions that even you yourself can't comprehend!"

Nori: "Still, even in this situation, I should be able to tell right from wrong! I made Tetsu do something unthinkable!"

Chimon: "Honestly, I think both you and Tetsu are equally at fault here. Yes, your manipulation of Tetsu like that was wrong, but it honestly didn't take much for her to agree. She could have easily said no or told the others about you wanting to kill yourself. Tetsu, you honestly should have just told the other students about Nori's suicidal thoughts rather than try to prevent them yourself by following her plan. We could have done something about it. Besides, even if you thought it was what Nori wanted, you should realize that trying to execute everyone except you two is just wrong. Even when Nori was making it obvious that she wanted to be caught and had personally confessed to the crime, you still tried to defend her."

Tetsu: "Yeah, I get that too! I'm an awful human being for what I did! I'm so sorry everyone for trying to kill you all like that."

Emnei: "We shouldn't play the blame game here. There's not a single person that is sully responsible for this incident except one. And that is none other than Monokuma! If it weren't for this killing game, none of this would have happened!"

Sashi: "Emnei's right! We shouldn't blame Nori, Tetsu, Akina, or even Gyo Shin! The person we should blame is Monokuma!"

Yemon: "It sounds like you guys are excusing them. Just because it's a killing game doesn't mean morality is completely non-existent here."

Chimon: "Case in-point, your morality is practically non-existent."

Yemon: "Shut the fuck up, Chimon!"

Nori: "Why are we still fighting!? This isn't what I wanted at all! Like I'm sorry for causing all of this, but you have to move on from this!

Renjiro: "I don't know if we can at this point. If we lose you, we no longer have any leaders to guide us. Not while Yemon is acting like he is right now."

Nori: "Then you'll have to learn to lead yourselves! Even if it gets difficult, you can't give up hope! Please, no matter what you do, try not to let another incident like this to happen ever again! I thought doing something like this would actually help you all, but that's never true! Murder never helps anyone! All it does is take away the lives of your friends!"

Sashi: "Nori, you still stopped the motive. Shouldn't you at least be happy that you did that for us!"

Emnei: "Yeah, and you tested our deduction and logic skills! I already feel smarter than I did when I first started this class trial!"

Nori: "You all are so strange. No matter how immoral my actions were, you still have the heart in you to forgive me. But I guess that's why you all are my friends. I can't change the past, so I might as well think about what I did manage to do. I need to look at things positively, as I don't have much longer to live."

Monokuma: "Jesus, how long are you people going to keep lecturing? Because the time for punishment is fast approaching!"

Renjiro: "No! NOOOOOOO!!!"

Tetsu: "Nori, listen! I forgive you for everything!"

Nori: "Tetsu, I know what I did to you was awful, but even to this day, I still want to help you. Tetsu, please use this opportunity to change for the better."

Tetsu: "Nori! I'm sorry! This is all my fault! I should have never agreed to this plan!"

Monokuma: Now then, I've prepared a very special punishment for the Ultimate Film Director!"

Nori: "Tetsu, this is no time to blame yourself! You got to listen to me! From now on, you need to learn to fight for the truth, no matter how difficult it is! I know it's hard dealing with the death of your friends, but if you want to survive, you have to learn to be able to move on from it! Try not to make my death make you weaker, but rather use it to make you stronger!"

Tetsu: "I don't know if I can even do that!"

Nori: "Tetsu, you must never let anything like this happen ever again! But if it ever does, you need to be prepared for the harshest truth imaginable! Most importantly, try to survive and escape with everyone else! I'm sure if you try your hardest, you will be able to escape this place with all the others!"

Tetsu: "NO!!! If you're going to get executed, I should be too! I'm also responsible for what happened! I deserve to die!"

Nori: "Tetsu, you can't do that!"

Tetsu: "Why not!?"

Monokuma: "Let's give it everything we've got!!! It's PUNISHMENT TIME!!!"

Nori: "Tetsu, please don't try to kill yourself! Not just me, but everyone wants you to survive and escape with the rest of the students! So, please Tetsu. It's a promise, okay? Make sure to keep it."

Tetsu: "NORIIIIII!!! DON'T LEAVE MEEEEEEE!!!"

Just like the previous class trial, a sixteen-bit video of Monokuma dragging away Nori appeared on the screen. The words stated the words "GAME OVER" and "Nori has been found guilty. Time for the punishment!"

Once again, a chain came out of the large door and wrapped itself around Nori's neck, pulling her out of the trial grounds. Her body was then dragged out the door and through a hallway leading to a brand-new room, as shown on the monitor, where the chain was left loose. It looked to be a film studio, with a set representing an abandoned town, with broken buildings all over the place. Outside the set were several Monokumas, who seemed to serve as film crew, as well as lights that shined on Nori. One of the Monokumas held a microphone, while another seemed to hold what looked to be a film script. Another was in the director chair, holding a clapper, which the Monokuma then snapped, which served to show that the movie had just started.

NIGHT OF THE 250 ZOMBIES

The Monokuma holding the film script wrote a line telling the zombies to appear. And like magic, off in the distance, the zombies came out of the background and towards Nori. They were probably just robots or something, but they looked so real. At least as real as fictional monsters could ever look. Their steps were slow and monotonous, barely making their way towards Nori. However, Nori did not try to run away or resist, instead just standing there, waiting for them to reach her. But the script was suddenly written to tell Nori to shoot the zombies with a shotgun. Out of absolute nowhere, a shotgun appeared in front of Nori's feet. Despite the resistance on her face, her arms reached down to pick it up, as if the script was some kind of black magic forcing her to do what it says. Once Nori picked up the shotgun, she aimed towards one of the zombie's heads, and pulled the trigger, blasting it's head off! Slowly but surely, Nori began picking the zombies off one by one, shooting them in the head each time. The shotgun must not have contained very much storage for ammo, because Nori seemed to be reloading constantly. However, Nori wasn't fast enough, as a few zombies managed to reach her. One scratched her face, while another bit her neck, causing blood to ooze out. Fortunately, Nori managed to shoot them both, leaving her alone. But the bite must have caused an infection because she spent the rest of her execution coughing up blood and screaming in pain. During all of this, another wave of zombies came out, and she was forced to kill them all while still being suffering from an infection. With how many zombies they were and how slow it took for Nori to kill them, several minutes passed by. In fact, by the time the third wave of zombies had approached, a full hour had gone by! It was a slow and painful death, as Nori was suffering from a violent disease the entire time. But this last wave of zombies was special because they didn't look like ordinary dead citizens, but in fact resembled the past students that have died. Nori looked absolutely horrified at the sight of their dead corpses. But what was even more horrifying is by some unknown force, Nori still had to kill them one by one with her shotgun. With each death, Nori cried and screamed along the way. Once there was only one zombie remained, Nori finally collapsed from the pain. The last zombie looked like Gyo Shin, and before Nori could react, started pulling apart her body and eating it until nothing remained.

Monokuma: "OH YEAHHHHHH!!! I sure do love an extreme and cruel punishment!!!"

We were too shocked to say any words. This execution was not only extremely brutal, but it seemed completely supernatural. While it was probably just some big act, what we saw were the zombies, including those of our previous friends, attacking Nori. Gyo Shin's zombie pulling her body apart and consuming it was especially hard to watch. Even Doryo looked utterly disgusted by what was on display here.

Renjiro: "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

Emnei: "NORIIIIIIII!!!"

Chimon: "What the fucked-up shit is this!? How do you even kill someone like that!?"

Doryo: "This Monokuma is a complete psycho bitch!"

Sashi: "Why!?! WHY DO WE KEEP HAVING TO DEAL WITH THIS!?!"

But the most affected at all was Tetsu, who after bawling right before Nori's execution, watched the whole thing with a blank and horrified stare. The whole time, she didn't even move an inch. During this whole ordeal, Emnei tried his best to comfort her.

Emnei: "Tetsu!? Are you alright!?"

But as soon as Emnei laid a hand on her, she freaked out.

Tetsu: "NOOOOOOO!!! I'M NOT FUCKING ALRIGHT!!! I CAN'T FUCKING HANDLE THIS SHIT ANYMORE!!!"

Tetsu ran out of the room, screaming and crying. Before any of us could say a word, her appearance was gone from our sight.

Renjiro: "She's probably going to be traumatized her entire life after witnessing her best friend get executed like this! I'm really worried for her right now!"

Yemon: "......"

Sashi: "Yemon? Are you okay? You haven't said a word since right before Nori's execution."

Yemon: "What the fuck are you talking about? I'm completely fine! You think this shit fazes me!? I've already dealt with three executions earlier!"

Emnei: "But Nori was far the closet to us out of all the people who have been executed. I don't think a single person in this room besides Doryo, who hates everyone, disliked her. Even if you say you weren't affected by her execution, I don't believe you for a second."

Yemon: "Well there's no use in crying about it. It's not like we could have prevented her execution. All we got to do now is try to move on from it."

Chimon: "You say that we couldn't have prevented her execution? I find it deeply ironic how someone like you would say something like that."

Yemon: "What the hell are you on about now, asshole? I thought you would agree with me on subjects like this."

Chimon: "You know, maybe her execution could have been prevented if we didn't allow her to murder in the first fucking place!"

Yemon: "How the fuck can we stop a murder!?"

Chimon: "I don't know, but don't you think you should be the one to try to figure out the answer to that question!? You used to always try to prevent any more murders from happening with whatever means possible! Even with your basic leadership and motivational speeches, you tried your best to stop any more victims from appearing!"

Yemon: "Well guess how that turned out, dumbass! You think that really mattered in the end!?! Murders fucking happened anyways!!! It's not like we can do anything about it, you fucking asshole!!!"

Chimon: "That's not the issue I have a problem with! It's the fact that out of nowhere, you suddenly stop trying! It's like you don't even give a crap about the lives of the other students! You just act like nothing can ever been done, sitting there moping and complaining about how murders are inevitable, while doing nothing to make it more evitable! This is why everyone fucking hates you now! You just turned into a complete scumbag! Fuck you, Yemon! I will never, ever, fucking like you again!"

Yemon: "Funny of you to act like the moral person here, when I already know something terrible about you that no one else does! If everyone knew the truth, they would fucking hate you as well! So, fuck you, Chimon! I will also forever hate you!"

What truth? What on earth is Yemon talking about? There's no way it's that bad, right? I mean, I could never hate a friend like Chimon.

Chimon: "Don't you dare bring that topic up again!"

Sashi: "Everyone! Stop fighting! You think Nori would have wanted this!?!"

Renjiro: "That's right! Screaming at each other will get us nowhere! We should just try our best to put our personal feelings for each other aside and try to work together! That's how we will defeat the mastermind!"

Yemon: "Alright, genius! How the fuck do we do that!? Have any incredible ideas!?"

Renjiro: "No. But if we all put our heads together, I'm sure we can think of something!"

Yemon: "Look at you, trying to be a leader, even though you will never ever be one! You think I give a shit about what you have to say!?"

Renjiro: "Yemon, what happened to us being friends!? Why are you suddenly treating me like one of your worst enemies!?"

Yemon: "Because you aren't. In fact, none of you guys are my friends anymore. You're all just my fucking enemies! People that I can't trust or cooperate with! Now good-fucking-night everyone!"

Yemon stormed out of the room, leaving an even more sour mood in the air.

Doryo: "What the fuck is that guy's problem!?"

Sashi: "He's probably just being emotional about Nori dying, or at least that's what I like to think."

Emnei: "I think now more than ever, we truly realized how valuable Nori was to us. Without her leadership and charisma, we have nobody to stop us from fighting with each other. Is it even possible for us to work together at this point? Maybe it's best that we just go our separate ways. That will probably lead to less drama and fighting. I might just stay alone from now on, never going to the dining hall meetings. I'm going to my room now. Please don't try to interrupt me from now on. I want to be alone. Now goodnight."

Emnei left the trial grounds on an even more depressing note.

Sashi: "What the hell has gotten into everyone!? Now even Emnei seems to have fallen into despair!"

Chimon: "This is what happens when the class favorite ends up being executed. The one who has held us all together. Everyone starts to separate, causing us to lose our sense of unity. At this point, we better find a way to fight against the mastermind fast, or else we will never be able to fight again."

Renjiro: "I wish you wouldn't say such depressing thoughts."

Doryo: "Well, I'm leaving now, since it doesn't seem like anybody has anything important to say. Later bitches."

Doryo left the scene, leaving me, Renjiro, and Chimon by ourselves.

Sashi: "Ummm, should we get going as well? Now's not exactly the time to think depressingly about the future. It's been a long and awful day. Let's try to not make the day any worse and try to get some rest. If we don't wake up by horrible nightmares, that is."

Renjiro: "Yeah. We probably should."

Chimon: "Then goodnight, I guess."

We all awkwardly left the room. Even though we all used the same elevator, we didn't say a word or even looked at each other. In fact, we purposely kept our distance from one another. Nobody wanted to interact with anyone else after three of our friends have just died. Eventually, I managed to head back to my dorm room.

CHAPTER 4 END

Sashi Asuka: Alive

Yemon Otsuka: Alive

Fudoki Sasaki: Dead

Akina Kuroda: Dead

Chimon Taniguchi: Alive

Marika Nagao: Dead

Tetsu Yanagi: Alive

Gyo Shin Morikawa: Dead

Doryo Ishii: Alive

Kando Yamamoto: Dead

Chiyo Gima: Dead

Renora Shinsato: Dead

Emnei Takada: Alive

Nori Ozaki: Dead

Renjiro Hara: Alive

Naeko Ennosuke: Dead

Surving Students: 7


End file.
